Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-19


independent sovereignty But civil government must ek
there, IN order protect the which shall be
eu. New Granada is Power which WIZ NOV ~ l5a
States held the sovereignty the isthnus oensi
might apprehend that in Of war the 9oserhns
close up the passage against the enemy put no " "4
can ever be entertained in regard to Ne" ufanaaa'
The vote on the treaty was as follows;
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison, Anterior, badger bagoy,
Benton Berrien Borland Bradbury, Bright Butter, Cal
houn Davis Of Mississippi Dickinson Dix, Downs Foote
Hannegan Houston Hunter, Lewis, Moore, Miles, kusk
Sebastian Spruance, Turney, Underwood "estcott and
Yulee-29.
WEAKNESSES Baldwin Clarke, Davis of MassGchu-
setts, Dayton Hale, Miller, and Upham--7.
Ii thus appears that every Democratic Senator of that
day voted for the treaty The Senator from Illinois, it
would seem is not of that school,
When went into the office Of Secretary of State under
President Taylor found that company Of British cap
taliss contemplated the formation Of ship canal by
the way of the river San Juan and Lake Nicaragua and
that they had employed Mr.. Wheelwrght, an English
gentleman to make the necessary arrangements and OBJ
tain the requisite grant for that purpose from the Gov
eminent Of Nicaragua. At the time company Of
American capitalists the chief of whom was Mr. Van
derbelt Of New York. engaged in the prosecution Of
the same purpose and had employed agent procure
grant from Nicaragua in their behalf Surprising that
Great Britain would throw her influence in favor Of the
English adyenturers the American capitalists naturally
sought the aid Of their Government The President
appointed f. George Squier Charge dAfares to Central
America in lieu of Elijah Hise who had been appointed
to the place during the administration of Pre- ident
Polk His instructions dated the st of May, lS49, full
y explain the object Of the appointment of Mr.. Squer
in aiding the American capitalists to obtain the grant Of
the right OF way and to carry out the principles of the
resolution of the Sd of March, 1885, Those instructions
after denying the validity of the Mosquito tie and
sorting that of the State of Nicaragua arrive the
clusion that the United States being interested free
passage to and from the Pacific by the way of the
river San Juan and Lake Nicaragua, cannot tamely al
low that interest to be hwarted by the pretensons set
up by Great Britain the protector of the Mosquito
coast AS it is necessary explain the policy of this
Government, and especially that Of President Taylor
trussI shall be pardoned for quoting the following pas
sage from the instructions which gave to the Minister
Central America before he proceeded his mission:
Having now sufficiently appraised you the views of this
department. in regard to the title the Mosquito coast de-
sire you distinctly understand how important deemed
by the President to conduct all negotiations the
subject of the Nicaragua passage not to involve this
try in any entnglng alliances any unnecessary confo-
very We desire no monopoly of the right of way for our
commerce. and cnnnot submit to If claimed for that Of
any other nation. FIVE held and enjoyed such monopoly,
it would entail upon bloody and expensive than
the struggle for Gibraltar has caused England and Spain
The caamies would inably be cast upon any other
nation claiming exclude the Of the rest of the
world We only ask equal right of passage for all nations
the passage unencumbercd by oppressive
exacons either from the local government within whose
sovereign limits may be effected from the opretor Of
the canal when accomplished For this end willing
to enter into treaty stipulation with the Government Of Nj
caragua that both Governments shall forever protect and de-
nd the propeors who may succeed in cutting the canal and
opening the communication between the for
Without such protection, it not believed
that this great enterprise would be successful Mica
ragua is feeble State and capitalists proyerbaly timid
race, may apprehend from the rapaey Of great maritime
Powers the obstruction and the seizure Of the canal
Similar apprehensions their part from revolutions in the
local government from the oppression and exacon Of tenn
porary ehieans and from necessary be
planned may operate retard work in regard TO which
may be safely predicted that when successfully accomplish
ed its benefits to mankind will transcend those of any other
similar work known in the history Of the world All these
apprehensons and viii be removed by the solemn pledge
Of protection given by the United States and especially when
it known that object in giving it not acquire for
ourselves any partial advantage over other ma
a
treaty stpuaons with any other nation that may claim to
enjoy the benefits and will agree be bound by the
same guarantee. In desiring that countymen may
obtain the charter grant the right make the canal
do not to be misunderstood Our purpose in aiding
American citizens obtain the grant encourage them in
audble effort relying as their Government does more
their skill and enterprise than that Of others If they
themselves prefer to unite with their the capital Of TO
regners who desire to embark in the undertaking. this
Government viii not object TO that. We should naturally be
proud Of such achievement American work. but if
European aid be TO accomplish it, why should
repuate it. seeing that object honest il openly
avowed to claim no peculiar privilege exclusive right
monopoly Of commercial intercourse but that the
work dedicated TO the benefit Of mankind be used by all
the with and consecraed TO the enjoyment
and diffusion Of the unnunbered and nestmable blessings
which must flow from IL 70 III thc civilized world
You will not want arguments TO induce Nicaragua 70 enter
into such treaty with The canal win be productive Of
benefit to her than other country Of the limits
With the aid Of the treaty IL may without such protection
from Power equal to il eanno be accomplish
ed Let negotiation with her DO frank open, and
regered as to al our purposes The same reasons Tor our
interference must be avowed to the capitalists who may enlist
in the work. Before treat for their protection look wen
their contract with Nicaragua See that enable
TO Others that exclusive privileges granted
ton that will not agree to the treaty pulaons with
Nicaragua that the tolls to be demanded by the
not unreasonable oppressive that be reserved to
the propretors the canal their extor
time hereafter unusy obstruct cmbaras the right
of passage. This will require all your vigilance and skill
they dc agree grant passage reasonable and
pe terms refuse our protection and our countenance to pro-
the contract from Nicaragua IL charter grant Of
the right of way shall have been ncaaousy inconside-
atey made before arrival in that country seek to have
Il properly modified the ends We have in view
It will thus be seen that the policy Of President Taylor
was only in accordance with the resolution Of 1885,
but with the principles adopted by both Houses Of Con-
qres and with those Of President OF the United
States from the days Of Presidents Adams and Jackson to
this time far have the means of ascertaining
them
But, it will be asked il the News Of President Polk
were really such here represented why was that
he suffered Mr.. Hse to violate the principle and aban-
don the whole policy of the Government 10y the negoti
alton of Mr. ses treaty with Nicaragua Of the 2lst of
June, S49 by which Nicaragua grants TO the United
States, or 10 company OF the citizens thereof me erc
sire right and prUge 70 make, construct, and build with
in the territories of the State Of Nicaragua through and
by the and Of any Of the streams rivers bays
harbors lakes lands under the jurisdiction within
the limits Of said State canal or canals, road or roads,
either rdodvs tnpes, any other kind Of roads, for
the purpose Of opening convenient passage and commu
nication between the Caribbean and the Pacific
ocean ~ The is that Mr. Polk assented to
authorized any such thing. Mr.. Hse acted in making
the treaty not only without instructions and beyond his
powers but in direct opposition 10 the instructions which
Mr. Buchanan gave him in his letter Of the 81 Of june
1913. lie with powers to conclude common treaty
Of commerce with the Republics Of Guatemala and San
Salvador But Mr. Buchanan expressly added, cit snot
however deemed advisable to empower you to conclude
treaty with either Nicaragua Honduras or Costa Rcn
until you shall have communicated TO the Department
full authentic statistic Ina