The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-05-30

continue 10 hold exclusively islands or main
land of the sihmus, and more especially if
under any claim of protectorship OF Indians
either government were 10 remain foreye,
sovereign n fact of the Atlantic shores OF
the three States Of Costa Rica, nicaragua
and Honduras.
| have already communicated to the two
Houses of Congress full information of the
protracted . and hitherto frutless efforts
which the United States have made to ar.
range this international question with Great
Britain. II is referred to on the present oc.
cason only because Of its intimate connection
with the special object now to be brought to
the attention of Congress.
The unsettled political condition of the
Spanish American republics has never ceased
to be regarded by this government with
solicitude on their own account, while it has
been the source of continual embarrassment
in our public and private relations with them.
In the midst of the violent revolutions and
wars by which they are continually agtated,
their public authorities are unable to afford
due protection to Foreigners and to foreign
interest within their territory, or even to de-
fend their own soil against individual ag-
gressors, foreign or domestic, the burden of
the Inconvenience and losses Of which, there.
fore deyolves in no nconsiderable degree,
upon the foreign States associated with them
in close re stations OF geographical vicinity or
commercial intercourse.
Such is, more emphaticaliy, the situation
of the United States with respect to the Re-
publics of Mexico and Of Central America.-
Notwithstanding, however the relative re
| slA
America, facts of the same order have not
failed to appear conspicuously in their inter-
course with Spanish American repubIics.-
Great Britain has repeatedly been constrain
ed to measures Of force for the protection of
British interests in those countries. France
found IL necessary to attack the castle of San
Juan de Ullon, aud even to debark troops ut
Vera Cruz, in order to obtain redress of
wrongs done to Frenchmen in Mexico.
| What is memorable in this respect iE the
conduct and policy of the United States is,
that while II would be as easy for us to an-
mex and absurd new territories in America
as it is for Europen States to do this in
Asia or Africa, and while, if done by us, it
might be justified rs well, on the alleged
ground OF the advantage which would accrue
soIbed, yet we have abstained from doing it,
In obedience to considerations of right not
less than Of policy; and that, while the cour-
agcous and srli-reliant spirit of our people
prompts them to hardy enterprises, and they
occasionally yield to the temptation of taking
part in the troubles of countries near at hand
where they know how potential their infu-
ence, moral and material, must be, the Amer-
can government has uniformly and steadily
resisted all attempts of individuals in. the
United States to oundertake armed aggression
against friendly Spanish American republics.
While the present incumbent of the execu-
tive office has been in discharge of its duties,
he has never failed to exert all the authority
~ hun vested IT, repress such enterprises, be
cause they are in violation Of the law of the
land, which the constitution requires him to
execute faithfully; because they are contrary
to the policy OF the government, and because
to permit them woud be departure from
good iaitt, towards those American republics
in amity with us, which are entitled TO, and
will never ccase to enjoy, in their caIamiics
tie cordial sympathy, and in their prosperity,
the efficient good will of the government, and
OF the people Of the United States. ....
To say that our laws in this respect are
sometimes violated or successfully evaded, is
only to Say what is true of all countries of
Europe. Suffice it TO repeat that the laws of
'ne oni'e' ou'es, proh'o'ilng "i' iore'gn
.'''.a'y en's''nen's or expeditions w'thln our
'e'',".y, ''aVe oeeL executed WIN i,npaftia'
good faith and So far as the nature of things
permits us well in repression of private per.
sons us of the official agents of other yoyern.
MENUS oo'I, VI europe ana america.
haong ,ne Cen'ra' american repu6''cs, to
wn'sn nooerh eVeG's nave impaired most
prominence Is that o! Nicaragua, by reason
or its particular pos't,on on me lsthmus.-1
ctAehs y. 'ic o''''eu o'a.ts nave estaDlished
III us 'err'ory IeeuH'r ihleroceanlc transit
route, SECOND on'y ~ va'ue 10 Inc one pre-
yousiy established IN the territory OF New
uranada.
The condition of Nicaragua would, it is
De'eved nave oeeh hlucn more prosperous
than IL mas oeen' Out Tor the occupation OF its
only huant'e port ny 'ore'gh power, ana OF
the disturbing authorly SET up and sustained
oy the same power in por'lon OF Its terri
Tory, ny means OF wn'ch It's domestic sover.
elgnty was impaired lis puolc lands were
withheld from settlemrnt,and It was deprived
OF "'i lne uiar'''''e revenue whleh IL would
S."eIw'e S ,'n doeI' Na., n he''"'o'Se ~
'"1, IT, 'u''' ~ ee; ,;..',S,a 800. ,.,:
h;,;, ~ '"esH ,I '.vsS .nhI;' ~ y, we po',.'G ae
o"'.y VI ."o '.pu1 y, t,.'aSu"' ""u ""e"
,:oa 10 ,','o.. '';"';, ~ "u'e. ons con
.,"uou CIV" We" oI'"een p"'ues ne''"er VI
'"eli suo"e .nousn W ose.come t"e o.mer'
VI Pe,m."en'y n';,".',h ,''e'"a' .r"nq"'',y'
QUE Vi we coh.enu'"s i"ouohso o' 'he rep"onc