Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-02


eipn countries like the population OF the State the noble
State which have just named. The State with which
have been brought most into connexon tat OF MICA
ragua, according TO the account OF Mr. oquer mas Out
two hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants and ten thou
sand only these of the pure European blood while
the rest the remaining hundred and forty thousand
Of mixed races coors and castles.
do not say this by way OF dsparagement. no not
mean 10 argue that onr relations with these States
unimportant because they small They are incident
ally Of great magnitude do not undervalue these tte
Republics They have had every thing to contend with
They educated in the worst possible pocal school,
nt the old Spanish colonial regime They have struggled
into independence under the greatest Inconvenience and
obstacles They IN their infancy They will grow,
have doubt, and prosper. They have beautiful po-
ston lying between the two great oceans, with some Of
tie finest ports upon either shore. Their climate tor
tropical climate is for themos part salubrions and agree
able They have fertile soil which yields All the yau-
able products Of the tropics and they have mines OF silver
and gold they have lakes and rivers which furnish fac
ties Of communication; they have agriculture and some
and they have made some progress in the arts
Of civilization But they have yet great deal to learn ;
and win be for their permanent advantage If IN the re-
suit Of ter communication with other Powers more ad
yancd than themselves they shall derive some important
lessons Their Interval feud deplorable and their
incessant border wars drawback upon all progress
While speaking the State Of Guatemala, with popu-
ltion of eight hundred thousand is marching army of
six thousand against her sister State OF Honduras
with three hundred thousands and Honduras in her turn
is sending military force TO disodge the English wood
these border and contentious can produce they do
produce, other result than series Of bloody revou
TONS which, besides leaving them in state Of almost
semi barbarsm, have the effect Of dishcarenng their
friends in every other part OF the world.
These States have formed NJ least have endeayored
TO orp their political institutions after the model OF our
own. While they might have learned from us that
federal union which, leaving every thing that belongs 70
local administration to the separate States confers on the
only those matters that OF general
concernment in short government like ours, if wisely
and purely administered may be the strongest govern
the EARTH believe in the long viii turn
be the other hand there is form of govern
ment weak, hopeless, contemplate as that of
small separate States lying side by side without harmony
without concert and employing all their energies In making
upon each other.
Though there was great interest taken by the United
States in the fortunes of the Spanish American colonies
when they threw off the yoke Of the mother country and
asserted their Independence interest mainly inspired
by the kinng eloquence Of Henry Claythere per-
haps part Of these vast territorial possessions that
cited less interest than the FIVE States into which the an
cient kingdom Of Guatemala resolved itself They were
small separately and small collectively. We had lutte or
commercial intercourse with them They had great
places Of attract the curiosity Of the traveller
| in fact, knew but little about them they were al
most lost upon the map Of America In 1922, the year
after the revolution effected the State of San Saliva
dor passed formal in her Legislature providing Tor
her incorporation into the American Union; she sent two
commissioners Washington to carry that act into effect
DO know that the least notice taken Of them
suppose they were treated with personal ciyilty as
matter Of course but communication was made 10
Congress upon the subject not sure that any Off
cial response made to it, even from the Executive.
inclined to think there At subsequent pc
RODS and under various Administrations attempts were
made enlist the active interference Of the United States
in favor IF the Central American Republics but
with tie least success under any Administration. do
not say this reproaehfuy; il is matter Of reproach
Looking back for period Of nearly thirty years. upon
the history Of these countries, cannot find the time
the occasion when COULD have enlisted actively in their
affairs with any prospect Of doing them the least good
or without departing from all the safe and settled prnc-
pies Of policy Of our own country.
but at length the time came at length opened
not only in own history but theirs, and in the hsto
~ Of the whole world You know that refer 70 the
QUESTION Of California and the discovery of its gold
Then, sir, intense necessity immediately felt for
the sPeediest and most economical and most convenient
routes of communication between the Atlantic and the
Pacific oceans between the Atlantic States and
acquisitions on the shores Of the great Then sir,
the tide OF eigraton-I compare il any thing
else but what have witnessed hundred times the
seashorethe tide Of emigration, like the tides Of the
ocean, went pouring down the coast swelling every
rock and every shoa rushing into every inlet turning
back the currents Of the rivers and seeking by kind
Irresistible moral necessity outlet into the Pacific
The project o. a canal hado often been started
before propositions had been made charters applied FOR
surveys undertaken but nothing practical had been done
But il plain that the time had come when
thing practical must be d-ne. Attempts were commcnc
ei and pretty heard Of small steamers that
navigating the inland streams and lakes of Central
u
rca and companies Of pilgrims Of both and of all
ages from the United States winding THEN
way through those dark tropical forests, through the
branches OF which the rays Of the had never pene
trated since creation.
charter for canal granted by Nicaragua
to company of American citizens, and if political
difficulties had existed and Central America had been
occupied by population like that which poured the waters
of Lake Erie into the bed of the Hudson at Albany, do
not know that would be extravagant say that at this
very moment hreemasted vessels Of twenty feet draugh
would be navigating the waters of Lake Nicaragua
their way TO the Pacific.
But unfortunately political obstacles did exist-obsta
cles Of all kinds. There discussions between the
neghborng States Of Nicaragua and Costa Rca There
was differences between Nicaragua and the British Gov
ernmen assuming be the protector of the Mosquito
Indians ana Jealousies il be said entertain
ed-unfounded Jeaousies think-but jealousies were
sincerely entertained between the United States and Grea
britain, that each Of these great maritime Powers wal
DESTROYS of obtaining exclusive advantage to Itself
IN reference to the opening Of this Of nteroceanc
communication.
Now sir it a great object as | understand it, o.
the treaty negotiated the part Of this Government BY
my friend from Delaware, 70 remove these difficulties
particularly far the United States and Great Britain
concerned and to establish the principle thai
neither Of these great Powers wished for any separate
exclusive advantage. That treaty negotiated pre-
cisey the principles that had governed every move
ment and every step which had been taken from the frs
communication. As think, IL was ther right principle tina
is that neither party should seek any exclusive advantage
and that the two great Powers would unite far de
pended upon Them in opening this great pathway to thu
commerce Of the whole world
II is point which think has not received sufficient at
tennn viz. that il the whole matter be peaceabl
disposed Of il absolutely necessary that such an un
derstanding should take place between the United State
and Great Britain. The United States could not take
grant Of exclusive privileges from Nicaragua, becaus