The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-03

fQfuarriyg tlit European NVioAi1
unsettled condition Of of them, distracted By frequent
revolutions and thus incapable Of regular and nr internal
administration has tended smbSass occasionally
public intercourse By reason Of wrongs which our citizens
suffer at their hands and which they slow 20 redress
Unfortunatey i against the republic Of Mexico, with
which Is special desire % maintain good understand
earnestly ged upon attention. they have yet
csved the confederation which this goyerDment bad right
10 expect While TeparaOn for past injuries has beeh with
held others haze added The political condition Of that
country however, has been such ~ 70 demand
the part OF the United States. shall continue efforts
for the wrongs Of our citizens that redress which
is indispensable 10 the continued friendly association Of the
The peculiar condition Of affairs ia Nicaragua the early
part Of the present rendered important that this gov
should have diplomatic relations with that State
Through "a territory had been opened one Of the PIiSep
thorouhaes the thmu connecting North and South
America on which vast amount Of property a.
ed and to which our citizens resorted IN great numbers IN
passing between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts OF the United
power In that State should be regarded responsible gov
srnmenti and its minister accordingly received But
he remained here only short time Soon hessaltsr me
and became involved in much uncertainty and confusion
Diplomatic representatives from two eontendng parties have
been reeehi sept 20 this Dlt WIN tne
feet information possessed not possible TO decide which
the de and, awaiting further deve-
opments, have refused To receive either.
Questions OF the most serious nature pending between
the United States and the republic New Granada The gov
ernment Of thai republic undeTt9ok year SINCE 70 impose
tonnage duties foreign vessels in her porte but the PGr
pose resisted by this gogernment being contrary to
existing treaty stipulation with the United States and to
rights conferred by charter upon the Panama Railroad Com
pany and was according y at that time it being
admitted that our vessels were entitled To DO exempt rom
tonnage duty in the free ports Of Panama and AsPnwa
But the purpose has been recently revived the part OF
New Granada BY the enactment OF law to subject vessels
visiting her ports to the tonnage duty Of forty cents per tom
and although the Law has not been in force yet the right
on by the government Of that republic.
The Congress Of New Granada has also enacted law du
ring the last which eyies tax OF more than three dol
lars every pound OF mail matter transported the
isthmu The thus required TO be paid the mails of
the United States would be nearly two million dollars
nuay in addition the large payable by contract TO
the Panama Railroad Company If the only objection TO
this e1acton the exorbtancy its amount could not
| be submitted TO by the United States.
The imposition Of it, however would obviously contravene
treaty with New Granada and infringe the contract of
that republic with the Panama Railroad Company The law
providing for this tax by its terms to take effect the
frat of September last but the local authorities the 18th
have been induced TO suspend its execution and await
further instructions the from the government of
the republic advised of the determination of
that government If extraordinary in its char
acter and clearly contrary treaty puIaon and the
rights Of the Panama Railroad Company composed
mostly of American citizens should be persisted n IL will
be the duty of the United States resist its execution.
regret exceedingly that occasion exists invite your at
tention subct Of still graver import relations
with the republic of New Granada On the fifteenth day OF
April last rotous assemblage Of the inhabitants of
committed violent and outrageous attack the premises
the railroad company and the passengers and other per-
in the involving the death OF several ct
of the United States the piage of many Others and
the destruction OF large amount Of property belonging to
the railroad company caused full inyeste alton Of that
made and the result shows satisfactorily that
complete responsibility for what occurred attaches to the
government Of New Granada have therefore demanded
OF that government that the perpetrators of the in
question should b. punished that provision should be made
the families Of citizens of the United States who
killed, with full indemnity for the property piaged or
The present condition of the isthus Of Panama. in 80 far
regards the security Of and property passing
it. requires serious consideration. Recent incidents tend to
the public peace OF Panama. and there is Just ground
for apprehension that portion OF the inhabitants are medi-
tatng further outrsge without adequate measures o the
security and protection Of persons property having been
taken either by the State Of Panama or by the general
eminent OF New Granada.
rdnr tba pftr of he
States have by the outlay Of several million dollars con
ructed railroad across the thmus and 1t has become the
main between Atlantic and Pacific possessions,
which multitudes Of citizens and vast amount OF
property constantly pssngo the security and Potec-
ton Of all which, and the continuance Of the public advan
tages involved, 1t impossible for the government of the
United States to be Indifferent.
have deemed the danger Of the of of
awess violence in this quarter imminent to make il
my duty to station part OF naval force in the harbor Of
Panama and Aspnwa in order to protect the persons and
property OF the citizens Of the United States in those ports
and insure to them safe passage the isthmus And
1t would Judgment be unwise 20 withdraw the naval
force in those ports until by the spontaneous action Of
the republic Of New Granada, otherwise adequate
arrangement shall have been made for the protection and
oury Of line Of inter oceanic communication important
this time, not 70 the United States only but to all other
maritime States both Of Europe and America.
MEANWHILE negotiations have been instituted BY OF
special commission 10 obtain from New Granada full in
demniy for injuries sustained by citizens the shmus
and aactoy security for the general interests Of the Uni
ted States.
appropriate express my congratulations
in view Of the peace greatness and felicity which the United
i
the various departments Of the government and Of all the
great branches Of the public service civil and military
order 10 speak Of the intelligence and the integrity which
pervade the whole would be to indicate but mperfecy the
administrative condition Of the country and the beneficial ef
ects Of that the general welfare. Nor would ii suffice
that the nation actually 1t peace at home and abroad
that s industrial interests prosperops that the
Of its mariners whiteDs every and the plough Of It's hus
bandmen marching steadily onward the boodess
quest Of the continents that cities and Popuous States
pringng up, II by enchantment from the bosom Of
western wd and that the energy Of people
making Of these United States the great republic Of the
world These results have not been attained without passing
through trials and per by experience Of which, and thus
only nations harden into manhood Our oreabers
trained the wisdom which conceived and the which
achieved Independence by the circumstances which
rounded them and they thus made capable Of the
ton Of the republic. II deyoyed the next generation
consolidate the work Of the revolution deliver the country
entirely from the influences Of conflicting transatlantic
tae antipathes, which attached to colonial and
revolutionary history and 10 organize the practical
ton Of the constitutional and legal institutions OF the Union
To Of this generation remains the not less noble task Of
maintaining and extending the national power. We have
length reached that stage Of oountys in which
the Incidents not Of weakness but Of strength In for
eRn relations have TO atemper power 70 the le
happy condition Of other republics In America and 10 place
in the camnes and conscious dignity Of right by
rope In domestic relations have TO guard against the
shock Of the dcontens the ambitious the interests and the
exuberant and therefore, sometimes irregular impulses Of
opinion Of action which the natural product Of the
present political elevation the spd tho restless
spirit Of enterprise Of the people OF the United States
shall prepare surrender the executive trust 10
and retire 10 private life with sentiments Of profound
gratitude to the good Providence which, during the period
through many dcues, domestic and foreign, and which
enables to contemplate the spectacle Of amcabe and
specu relasons between and all other governments
and the establishment OF constitutional order snd tranquility