The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-12-10

ieih'o 'aa p5opooed " Tie governments Vi -Nth
Granada that municipal control be ceded to the
United States over the strip of country through
which the Panama railroad passes and the
towns Of Aspinwall and Panama. Since thai
time we havereceived information that the hon
Isaac l. Morse, Of this State, has been appoint.
ed special diplomatic agent to bring the subject
before the cabinet and council of New Granada
and employ all his talents to arrange the diff
Iiculties occasoned last spring by the murder
GUS riots in Panama. and as it will be his first
attempt at diplomacy abroad, be will, undoubt-
eddy, strive hard to accomplish the end the adj
ministration has in view.
We have not seen the form by which the
president expects to secure the proposed cession
of the strip of territory or the privilege ofkeep-
ing an aimed force in Aspinwall and Panama.
The FIRST object may be secured either by an
absolute sesson Of territorial domain, by lease
of the territory to the United States forever, or
for tern of years, with the right to exercise
undisputed municipal control overit; oreby
treaty stipulation that the United States shall
have the right 20 station military force upon
the sthmus sufficient to preserve order and pro-
tect the transit route. Neither of these plans
would in any way conflict with the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty, which applies to political and
not geographical Central America, and was not
intended to refer to New Granada. In regard
to regulating the towns of Aspinwal and Pan
anna, so many difficulties would spring up be-
tween the municipal authorities, the Granadi-
ans and tl9e Americans, that it would be al |
most impossible 10 consummate any harmonious
action between them.
is stated that president Pierce does not ask |
for an absolute cession of sovereignty and ter
rltorlal dominion upon the isthmus, but for
to the United States of perfect mu-
nlcipal power there, with such restrictions up
on the government of New Granada, with refer
snce TO the 'ransl route, as shall give to US de
sacto, with, regard thereto, free exercise of all
he powers of sovereignty for the protection of
American interests, without yielding actual
sovereignty by name. The National Intel]i-
5encer, abiding TO the subject, says: /
The outrages committed some months ago at {
'anama on the railroad passengers crossing to t
be Pacific, doubtless directed the attention of
ur government 70 the propriety of devising
ONE means BY which to save our cllizens from Z
Imllar outrages IN future as well AS to render .
he transit OF the sthmus safe and unmolested .
QUITE tor'al travellers whatever. With view,
re presume, to effect this object, our executive 6
as, as we understand, been negotiating with a
ne government of New Granada for cession h
r transfer of the jurisdiction or sovereignty of ;,
tract of country bn the isthmus, embracing, of
purse, the line ofthe railroad, and how much .
ore We do not know. The authorities of the I'll
thmus being unable, if willing to repress the til
andlttl watch lntest' Panama and its neighbour or
pod, an arrangement which shall place that -.
'wer IN cur own hands will certainly be very ~
slrabe, # it can be effected without compli- III
ting or involving the exterior relations and OF
sponslollltles ot our government to an obicc- tel
nable extent. We simply state the fact of an
negotiation, however, without touching on T.,
political aspect of the subject, of which our 1''
owledSe OF the details of the matter are too MI
perfect to permit: us to speak: gu
AS the government Of New Granada is too of
or to indemnify the Americans for the pro ov
rty destroyed by the rioters, the plan propos- vo
by the administration would in all probable pa
prove the best that could be adopted We leo
sumo the whole subject will be discussed in Sp
presidents message, and his views be fully lit
blamed. the
orF
OUTRAGE oS OUR FLAG.-Captain Thompson, I.N 49,,
he Schooner Major Barbour, at n. Orleans, '"I
n Coatzaooatss river (Yucatan, reports ~
while anchored at Sisal, the Mexican war
amer Democrat came into the harbor and WI
'menced airing at his vessel, and proceed '0'
short distance up the river firing at She I
pie on shore. When within twenty wards pro
le MAJOR Harbour, the Mexican commander. the
stood UPON the poop-deck, drew pistol wbs
deliberately fired at captain Thompson, at The
same time giving to the crew an order to Stat
into the schooner, which was promptly ex- stea
ed; the cannon shot took effect in the tipI,
're-sail yard and haliards, carrying awav sout
r''on of the rigging and lodging four grape cult
IN the foremast. The American ensgn WIS rails,
perforated by1three shsas Capt Thomn- can
states that the attack was unexpected I'M ton
oked and altogether wanon, and looked larg
oy the people on shore as an act of piracy. Tex
citizens were greatly frightened and could In tt
comprehend the cause of this outraoeous ton
sedlng. Subsequently captain Thompson of vi
upon several Mexican, British and Amer west
residents, and in their presence, before the that
consul, drew up protest, embodving in five
|, the facts above stated, which has been each
mitted to Washington motto
e commander off the Democrats month or coun
ago "declared against the present gov two
ent OF Mexico, aad went on cr,ise down cents
'uIf on bis: own account-or rather m ~,
udIng expedition-but getting out of coal. OOH
ITO Havana for supplies, where the GOV - -
general, at the request of the Mexican ~.
nment, seized the Democrat. and Tins emf 70,
the rover'a career. As the commander