Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-04-07

NtlllINlHtSs ICY diN W AutlA ihAhhef
they will grow, have no doubt, aud they
will prosper. They haze beautiful posi-
tion-lying between the two oceans, with
some fine ports on either shore. They have
very agreeable aud salubrious tropical cll-
mate. that produces all the valuable growths
of the tropics. The have mines of silver
and of gold. They have lakes and rivers,
which furnish facilities for inier-communi-
cation They have agriculture and com
merce, and they have made some progress
IN the arts Of civilization. But they have
yet great deal to learn, and it will be for
their advantage, if, in the result OF the re-
cent connection with other powers more
advanced than themselves, they shall de-
ave some important lessons. Their eter-
nal leuds are deporable. Their incessant
border wars are a drawback upon all pro-
gress. Why, sir, at this moment, while
am speaking the State of Guatemala, with
a population OF 500, 600 only, is marching
with an army of six thousand men, against
her sister state of lIunduras with popua-
ton Of 300 600; and Honduras, IN her
turn, is sending a military force to disodge
the English wood-cutters on her disputed
territory These feuds, these border dis
sentIons, can produce no other result-the
do produce no other result-than series Of
bloody revolutions, which, besides retaining
them IN a state of almost semi-barbarlsm,
has the effect Of dsheartening their we'll
wishers IN every foreign country
These little States have founded Their
political Institutions on the model of ours,
or, at least, they have endeayored to do SO.
While they might have learned from US
that a Federal Union, leaving everything
that helongs to local administration with
the separate States, and comforting Oh the
Central Government those matters only
which are ofgeueral concernment; IN short
government like ours, If wisely aud pure
~ administered, may be the strongest gov
ernmeut on earth, as believe, In the long
run, ours will turn ont TO be; on the other
hand they ought to have learned from his.
tory that there is no form of political exls-
tcncc so weak, SO hopeless, so conlempilble
as q at OF small separate states, lying side
10y side, without harmony, without concert,
employing all their energies IN making war
with each other
Although there was great interest taken
IN tie fortunes of The Spanish American
Colonies, when they threw off the yoke OF
Tie mother country and asserted their inde-
pendsuce. an interest 10 no small degree
inspired by the maichless eloquence of
Henry Clay, there l., perhaps no part of
these vast territorial possessions that Insplr-
ed les, interest than these five States into
which the ancient kingdom of Guatemala
resolved itself They were small separately g,
small collectively. There were no associa-
tons with them on our part. We had no
commercial intercourse ofconsequence with
them They had no great places Of resort
TO attract the curiosity of the traveller. ln
fact, we know very little about them, and
they were almost lost upon the map of A
meuca.
In the year 1898, the year after this rev.
olution was effected, the State of San Sal
yador passed a formal act of her legislature,
providing for her Incorporation into the
American Union. She sent two Commis-
slonefs to Washington TO carry that act IN
to effect ] do not know that the least pub
lie notice was taken of tie overture. |
suppose they were treated with civilty, as
a matter of course, but no communication
that recoIlect was made to Congress nor
e am aware that any official response, even
from the Executive, was made to the offer Of
whole State.
Mr. CLAYTON (in his seat There was
none.
Mr. EyERErT-My friend says there was
= none At subsequent periods, attempts
, have been made 20 enlist the active inter
r ference of the United States in the affair.
{ of the Central American Republics, but
E never with the least success. do not say
e this reptoachluly; It is no matter of re-
l proach. Looking back for a period of thlr
T iy years upon the histories of these coun
tries, cannot find the lime nor the occa
< SION Ia which We could have enlisted ac
/ lively in their affairs, with the prospect o
# doing them the least good, or without de
o parting from all the sound and safe tradt
h tous of our own Government.
o But at length the time came-at length
d the era opened-not only in our history auC
i thelrs-hut in the history of the whole
9 world. You know that refer To the acqul
i sllion of California, aud the discovery o
r lis gold. Then an intense necessity wa
tel, for the speedies' the most economical
d the most convenient routes of commnnica
% ton between the Atlantic and the Pacific
r. between the States on the Atlantic coas
5 aud our new acquisitions on the shores o
o the Great Sea. Then the Of tide emigration
}, Il eau compare 1t to nothing else that
e what have witnessed, a hundred times, al
r the sea shore-lhe tide of emigration, lIk'
IS udes Of the ocean, went pouring down th'
= coast, swelling up The shores, rushing int
5, every inlet, turning back the current o
= rivers, aud seeking, by kind of lrresisiI
n BILE moral necessity, passage into the Pa
r, cihc Ocean. The project Of a canal ha'
4 often been started before, propositions ha'
}, been made, charters sought, surveys under
n taken, bat nothing practical or effective ha'
d ever been done. But now II was plain tina
Il the lime had come when something practl
;, cal aud effective must be done. begin
Ia uing was soon made-pretty soon--and VI
q, heard OF small steamers that were navlga
N tng the rivers and lakes of Central Amerl
rs ca aud parties of emIgrants, of both sex
of es aud of all ages, we're seen winding theI
st way through those dark tropical forests
ne through the branches of which the rays {
hi the sun had never penetrated since crea
d. ton