Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-21
WHOLE NO. 1873,

] in favor Of the free use of that river,
: l had occasion to present fully in a
J former message; and, considering
the cordial relations which have long
existed between this governmen. and
Brazil, it may be expected that pend
ing negotiations will, eventually,
: reach favorite result.
I Convenient means Of transit, be-
tween the several ports of acountry,
are not only desirable for the objects
of commercial aud personal commu-
nicatiOn, but essential to It's exis-
tence under our government. Sep
tarated as are the Atlantic and Pa
!oifc coasts of the United States, by
the whole breadth Of the continent,
still the inhabitants of each are close
ly bound together by community of
origin and institutions. and by strong
attachment to the Union. Hence,
the constant and increasing inter
course, and vast interchange of COM
mercial productions between these
remote divisions of the Republic
At the present time, tho most prao-
ticable and commodious routes for
communication between them are by
the way of the Isthmus Of Central
America. II is the duty oi the gov
ernment to secure these avenues
against all danger of interruption.
In relation to Central Ameriea,
perplexing questions existed between
the United States and Great Britain
at the time of the cession of Cali
fornia. These, as well as questions
which subsequently arose concerning
iEter-oceanic communication across
the Isthmus we're, as it was supposed,
adjusted by the treaty of April 10,
1850; but unfortunately, they have
been reopened by serious misunder-
standing as to the import Of some Of
its provisions, readjustment Of
which is now under consideration
Our minister at London has made
strenuous efforts to accomplish this
desirable object, but has not yet
found it possible to bring the nego-
tiatiOns to Il termination.
AS incidental to these questions,
deem it proper to notice an Occult
renee which happened in Central A
merica. near the close of the last ses-
sion Of Congress. So soon as the
necessity was perceived Of establishing
communications across
the lsthmus, company was OrgIni-
zed, under the authority of the State
of Nicaragua, but composed, for the
most part, Of citizens Of the United
States, for the purpose of opening
such transit way, by the river San
Juan and lake Nicaragua, which soon
became an eligible and much used
'oute in the transportation of our
citizens and their property between
he Atlantic and Pacific. Mean
While, and in anticipation Of the com
,letion and Importance Of this tram
ut way, number Of adventurers had
aiken possession of the old Spanish
,ort at the mouth of the river San
Juan, in open defiance Of the State
,r States of Central Americ;,, which,
lpon their becoming independent,
lad rightly succeeded to the locaI
overeignty and Jurisdiction Of
spain. The adventures undertook
o change the name of the place from
'an Juan del NOrte to Grey ytown, ard !,
hough at first pretending to act rs ;.
he subjects of the fictitious soyer-
ign of the Mosquito Indians, they
ubsequently repudiated the control
+ any power whatever, assumed to
dopta distinct political organization,
nd declared themselves an independ-
Mt sovereign State. II, at some
ime, a faint hope was enter tanned
hat they might become stable and
community, that hope
oon vanished. They proceeded to
ssert unfounded claims to civil juris-
iction over Punta Arenas, a position
n the opposite side Of the river San
Tuan, which was in possession, under
title wholly independent of them,
f citizens of the United States, in.
crested in the Nicaragua Transit
and which was ihdispensa
'ly necessary to the prosperous oper-
tion Of that route across The 18th
nus. The company resisted their
yroundless claims; whereupon they
proceeded to destroy some Of its
and attempted violently to
lispossess it.
At later period they organized