The true Democrat., 1856-06-03
Presidents Nicaraguan Message.

dent, enclosing reports from the secretary ol State, secretary of the navy, and the attorney general, in reply to resolution of the Sen ate, in March last, also resolution of the House adopted May 8, both having reference to routes of transit between the Atlantic and Pa cfc oceans, through the republic of New Ora nada and Nicaragua, and to the condition ol our affairs with Central America:
 7o the Senate and House of Representatives.:
 transmit herewith reports of the secretary of State, the secretary of the navy, and the attorney general, in reply to resolution of the Senate of the 24th of March last and also a resolution of the House of Rrepre- sentatives of the 8th of May inst, both hav- ing reference to the routes of transit between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the republics of New Granada and Nicaragua, and to the condition of affairs in Central America. These documents relate to questions of the highest importance and interest to the people of the United States
 The narrow lsthmus which connects the con- tnents of North and South America, by the facilities It affords for easy transit between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, render the coun- ties of Central America an object of special consideration to all maritime nations which has been greatly augmented in modern times by the operations of changes in commercial re- latlons, especially those produced by the genc- ral use of steam as motive power by land and sea. To Us, on account of the geographical po- sltlon and our political interest as an Ameri- can state of primary magnitude, that isthmus IS Of peculiar importance, just as the Isthmus oi Suez Is tor the corresponding reasons to the maritime powers of Europe. But above all, the importance of the United States of secur- ing free transit across the American Isthmus has rendered 1t of paramount interest to us, since the settlement of the territories of Ore gon and Washington, and the accession of Cal ifornia to the Unon
 lmpelled hy those considerations the United States took measures at an early day to assure suitable means ot commercial transit by canal railway or otherwise, across this Isthmus.- We concluded In the first place a treaty of peace, amty, navigation and commerce with the republic Of New Grenada-among the con- dtions of which was, a stipulation on the part of New Granada guarantying to the United States the right of way or transit across that part of the Isthmus which lies in the territory of New Granada, in consideration of which the United States ouarantied in respect of the same territory the rights of sovereignty and property of New Granada. The effect of this treaty is to afford to the people of the United States facilities fer at once opening a common road from Chagres to Panama, and for at length con- structing railway in the same direction to connect regularly with steamships for the transportation of mails, specie and passengers to and fro, between the Atlantic and Pacifl states and territories of the United States.
 The United States also endeavored, but un- successfully, to obtain from the Mexican re- public the cession of the right of way at the northern extremity of the Isthmus. which had come to be an object ot solictude to the peo- pie of this republic.
 In the meantime intervening between the re. public of New Granada and the Mexican re. pubic lies the States of Guatamala, Salvador Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica the severed members of the former republic of Cen. tral America. Here i'll the territory of the Central American States is the narrowest part of the lithmuS and hither of course public at tentlon has been directed as the most invitnu held for enterprises of interoceanic commuli. cation between the opposite shores of America and more especially to the territory of the States of Nicaragua and Honduras.
 Paramount to that of any European State as was the interest of the United States in the SC. curlty and freedom of projected lines of trave across the lsthmus by the way of Nicaragua and Honduras, still we do not yield in this re- spect to any questions of territorial aggrandze. ment, or even of exclusive ad vantage, either of communication or of commerce. Opportuni- ties had not been wanting to the United States to procure such advantages by peaceful means and with full and free assent of those who alone had legitimate authority in the mat ter. We disregarded these opportunities, from ilaro ,li { policy. Just even to the present day We have persevered in system of justice and re- spect for the rights and interests of others, as well as our own, in regard to each and all the States of Central America
 It was with surprise and regret therefore that the United States learned, few days after the conclusion of the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo, by which the United States became with the consent of the Mexican republic, the rghtiul owners of California, and thus invest ed with augmented special interest in the poli- tcal condition of Central America, that mili- tary expedition, under the authority of the British government, had landed at San Juan del Norte, in the State of Nicaragua, and talk ker iorcibe possession of that port the necessary terminus of any canal or railway across the lSthmus within the territories of Nicaragua
 It did not diminish the unwelcomeness to us of this act on the part of Great Britain, to find that she assumed to justify it on the ground of an alleged protecto.ship of a small and ob- scure band of unclvlzed Indians, whose proper name even had become lost to hstory-who did not constitute state capable of territorial sovereignty, either in fact or in right, and all political interest in whom and in the territory they occupied Great Britain had previously re- nounced, by successive treaties with Spain when Spain was sovereign of the country and subsequently, with independent Spanish America.
 Nevertheless, and injuronsly affected as the United States conceived themselves to have been by this act of the British government and by its occupation about the same time of in. sular and of continental portions of the terri tory of the State of Honduras we remem bered the many and powerful ties and mutual inter ests by which Great Britain and the United States are associated, and we proceeded, il earnest good faith, and with a sincere desire tC do whatever might strengthen the bonds O. peace between us, to negotiate with Great Br tain convention, to assure the perfect neu tralty of all interoceanc communication across the Isthmus, and as the indispensable condition of such neutrality, the absolute ndependcnc,
 
 complete sovereignty within the limits of thei own territory, as well against Great Britain a against the United States
 We supposed we had accomplished that ob ject by the convention of April 19 1850, whicl would never have been signed or ratified ol the part of the United States, but for the con victon that in virtue of its provisions, neithe Great Britain nor the United States was there after to exercise any territorial sovereignty, il fact or in name in any part of Central Americ however or whensoever acquired, either befor or afterwards. The essential object of thu convention-the naturalization of the Isthmu would of course become nulity, if eithe Great Britain or the United States were to con tinue to hold exclusively the islands or mai land of the Isthmus, and more especially, i under any claim of protectcrship of Indians either government were to remain forever so vereign in fact of the Atlantic shores of tn three States of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Hon duras
 I havo o1reodv communicated to +I,o +,r