Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-16
EVENING STAR.
THE PRESIDENTS SPECIAL MESSAGE
To the Senate and

the Attorney General, in reply to a resolu-
ton of the Senate of the Gath of March last
and also to a resolution of the House Of Repre-
| sentatives of the Sth of May instant, both
having reference to the routes of transit be
tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through
the republics of New Granada and Nicaragua
| and TO the condition Of affairs in Contra
| America.
| These documents relate to questions OF the
highest Importance and interest to the people
of the United States.
The narrow isthmus which connects the con
tinents of North and South America, by the
| facilities it affords for easy transit between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, rendered the
| countries of Central America an object Of spe.
cial consideration to all maritime nations
which has been greatly augmented in modern
times by the operation of changes in CONNER
| cial relations, especially those produced BY
| the general use of steam as a motive power
| by land and sea To us, on account of il:
| geographical position and of our political in
terest as an American State of primary mag.
nitude, that istbmus is of peculiar Importance
just as the isthmus Of Suez is. for correspond
| ing reasons, to the maritime powers Of Europe
But above all, the importance to the United
States of securing free transit across the Ameri-
| can isthmus has rendered it of paramount in
terest to US since the settlement Of the Terri.
| tories of Oregon and w ashington, and the ac-
| ccSslOn OF california TO the u mon.
Impelled by these consideration, the United
States took steps at an early day to assure
suitable means of commercial transit, by ca
nal, railway, or otherwise, across this isthmus
We concluded, in the first place, a treaty o
peace, amity, navigation, and commerce with
the republic Of New Granada, among the
| conditions of which was a stipulation, on the
| part Of New Granada, guaranteeing to the
United States the right of way or transit
Il %1oN zC
| the territory of New Granada, in considera-
| tion Of which the United States guaranteed
| in respect of the same territory the rights of
| sovereignty and property of New Granada.
The effect Of this treaty was to afford to
| the people of the United States facilities for
at once opening common road from Chagres
| to Panama, and for at length constructing a
| railway in the same direction, TO connect reg
ularly with steamships, for the transportation
of mails, specie, and passengers, to and fro,
between the Atlantic and Pacific 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 by Tehuan-
tepec, and that line of communication con-
tinues to be an object Of solicitude 10 the peo.
pie of this republic.
In the meantime, Intervening between the
republic of New Granada and the Mexican
republic, lie the States of Guatemala, Saliva
dor, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica,
the severed members of the former republic
Of Central America. Here, in the territory
OF the Central American States, is the naC-
roHest part of the isthmus, and hither Of
course, public attention has been directed as
the most inviting field for enterprises Of inter-
oceanic communication between the opposite
shores Of America, and more especially to the
territory to the States of Nicaragua and Hon.
duras.
Paramount to that of any European State
as was the interest of the United States in the
security and freedom of projected lines of ira
vel across the isthmus by the way of Nicara-
qua and Honduras, still we did not Weld in
this respect to any suggestions of territorial
aggrandizement, or even Of exclusive advan-
tage, either o. communication or of COM
merce. Opportunities had not been wanting
to the United States to procure such advan-
tages by peaceful means, and with full and
free assent Of those who alone had any legiti-
mate authority in the matter. We disre-
garded those opportunities from considera.
tiOns alike Of domestic and foreign policy
just as. eVen to the present day, we have per
severed in system of justice and respect for
the rights and interests Of others as we'll as
our own in regard to each and all of the States
of Central America.
1t was with surprise and regret, therefore,
that the United States learned, few DAYS
after the conclusion of the treaty of Guada-
lupe Hidalgo, by which the United States be-
came, with the consent Of the Mexican repub-
lie, the rightful owners Of California and
thus invested with augmented special inter-
est in the political condition of Central Amers
lea, that a military expedition under the au-
thority of the British government had landed
at San Juan del Norte, in the State of Mica
ragua, and taken forcible possession of that
port, the necessary terminus of any canal or
railway across the isthmus within the terrific
ries of Nicaragua.
1t 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 proteetorship of a small
and obscure band of uncivilized Indians,
whose proper name even had become lost to
history, who did not constitute a state capable
of territorial sovereignty, either in fact or of
right and all political interest in whom, and
in the territory they occupied, Great Britain
had previously renOunced by successive trea-
ties with Spain when Spain was sovereign of
the country, and subsequently with indepen-
dent Spanish America
Nevertheless and ipjuriously 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
insular and Of continental portions Of the ter
bered the many and powerful ties and mutual
interest: by which Great Britain and the Uni
ted States are associated, and we proceeded in
earnest good faith, and with a sincere desire
to do whatever might strengthen the bonds of
peace between US, to negotiate with Great
Britain a convention to assure the perfect neu-
trality of all inter-oceanic communications
across the isthmus, and as the indispensable
condition of such neutrality, the absolute in
dependence of the States of Central America,
and their complete sovereignty within the
limits of their own territory, as well against
Great Britain as against the United States.
We supposed we had accomplished that object |
by the convention of April 10, 1850, which |
would never have been signed nor ratified on |
the part Of the United States but for the con- |
viction that in virtue of its provisions, neither
Great Britain nor the United States was there |
after to exercise any territorial sovereignty, in
fact or in name, in any part of Central Ameri- |
ca, however or whensoever acquired, either |
before or afterwards. The essential object of |
the convention-the naturalization Of the |
isthmus of, course, become a nullity |
if either Great Britain or the United States
were to continue to hold exclusively islands or |
of the isthmus, and more especiallv