The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-03

.
rnmors which he cot from the United States
that we are about to occupy the isthmus Of Pan
anna. The report Of consul Corwlne, VINO wa
sent to examine into the real history oil I've gfea
riots OF April last, las been taken to be Tore
Swallowing of what this government intends L
do. He recommended that we should take pos
session of the line of the railroad and the ter
mini-as the only etfectual mode OF securing
peaceful transit to American citizens and prop
! erty-and the British journalists have cried GU
against the grasplny disposition which this oc
cupation would manifest, and stgmatlsed 1t a
breach of the faith of the Clayton Buiwe
treaty. They have told us very haughtlly, tina
| England will not submit to such violation o
the treaty with her, or to the Infringement upol
| hes own rights in that region which 1t perpe
trates. The alarm about occupation is prema
ture, if not altogether without cause. There
may be no occupation-we trust there will no
| be any--and that there will be no necessity il
the conduct or the shortcomings in the New
| Granadian authorities for the agitaing of mea
sure of redress which would involve a total de
parture from the settled maxms of the public
policy of this government from its origin up tc
this day.
But the repugnance to the measure will moi
flow from any concurrence with the British
view that the occupation of Panama, or the
positive acquisition as dependency of the Uni
ted States would in any manner conflict with
the provisions of the Bulwer treaty. There is
nothing therein which binds either party to re-
ffain from extending its influence or its posses
sons outside Of Central America, and the whole
Of the recent correspondence between the two
ty, Shows that in contemplation of both Central
America is used in political not geograph-
zeal sense, and means the five States of Cen
trail America. Great Britain and the United
States mutually agreed, in view of the protec-
ton and neutrality of the ship canal to be con-
structed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans,
by the way of San Juan de Nicaragua, that
neither of them would erect Notifications or
occupy, or fortify, or coonize, or assume, or
exercise dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Ri
ca, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central
America-and would never use any alliance or
influence with either to obtain any privileges
over each other in those countries. New Gra-
NADIA is not one OF the States of Central Ameri
ca, and Panama, as one of the constituents of
the New Granada confederation, belong politi
caly to South America, and not to Central
America. Indeed, in most of the Biographies
it is classed as portion of South America, al
though it extends far along the isthmus The
rcaty, itself, recognises it as distinct from the
Central America to which their man provisions
apply.
The treaty, in addition to these mutual re-
1unciatons of all acquisition and influence in
Central America, contains stipuations for the
of the canal, and those engaged in
If, and makes provisions for OBJ
aiming the consent OF other governments to the
measures OF protection that may be necessary.
5y the eighth article these provisions are ex-
ended to all other practicable communications
cross the isthmus, by canal or railway, and
'especlalIy'' 10 those proposed to be establish
d by the way of Tehuantepec and Panama"
.hese two routes-one through Mexico, and
he other through New Granada-are thus es-
ecially recognised as beyond the general stip-
atIons of the treaty. They are not subject to
he renuncatlons of the two governments, but
lie included by special provision in the par
cuar stipulation for the protection to the rail
Dad companies, TO be secured by treaty stipu-
atoms with the authorities of each State. TO |
ccupy or to take possession of Panama would, |
1cretore, be no breach of any of the terms of
ne Bulwer- Clayton treaty. The British Jour
ais take an ontltel y new, unreasonable and I'M
;nabIe position when they clamor against the
hlted States for a breach of faith, and throw
III irritable menaces about the fOrcible inter
renee OF Eng land, on the vague anticipation
'At the United States is about to ''seize" upon
part of New Granada and take control of the
anama railroad. II
But we hope nothing will be done to give
'ior TO the apprehension that we are about to
axe such mistake of policy, as the acquisi- !
IN OF territory would be, at such ID distance {
om home, with such a population, and sub {
CT 10 such responsibilities and charges We {
I'VE no foreign colonies, or alien people, who t
nSt be governed as subjects, on principles and S
means totally distinct from those which OBJ Il
n at home. The Panama road is a great b
'rk, and the people Of the country are all will o
& that the government shall use its power o
d influence to obtain for the company and |
ose who use it, protection of their rights, and q
'urlty in their persons and properly. But h
IS, we trust, can be done without recourse to IS
treme and exceptional measures, and we have p
seen the evidence Of any indispostion on e1
: part fthe central government of New Gran
a, to do whatever is in its power, and is rea-
liable, to meet the wishes of the government BIZ
the United States in these respects. There tn
30 case yet to justify any such measure, and er
evidence, except in rumors and the vague 70
orehensions cultivated by politicians, that nj
h project is in contemplation. If arrange of
hts can be made for protecting that transit de
for few years, its Importance pr
he country will be much diminished by the DIR
cessful completion of other lines of commu- H
alton, much nearer in distance, and more Su
1modous for all the interests Of the United co
ties, and greatly to be preferred by large Gu
ton of the Union. There will be. accord
y, in addition to the considerations of public
cy which forbid the acquisition of distant
itory for colonial purposes, great and ma Oh
II repugnance to government measures, 70 70
CHI will seem to be intended specially for vi
benefit of one company, and an urgent in ne III
able public necessity must be shown and es- 1or
lshed to reconcile them to public opinion. N, Ne
IN. 0. Picayune. LII
--~7,-, -~~,>0'~-~~~--~--- gre
question NOT SETTLED.-In letter from the De,
shlngton correspondent Of the New York Nc
es, he says, | learn through the state de- Ter
40 I,