Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-12-11

much uncertainty and confusion. Diploma-
tic representatives from two conteDding par.
ties have been recently sent 70 this govern.
ment; but with the imperfect information
, possessed, twas not possible 10 decide which
was the government "de facto;r and, await
ing further Developments, have refused TO
receive either.
Questions of the most serious nature are pen
ding between the United States and the Repub-
lac OF New Grensds. The government Of that
Republic undertook. year since. 70 impose
tonnage duties on foreign vessels ~ her ports,
but the purpose was resisted by this govern
ment, "a being contrary TO existing trea'y stip-
ulatiOns with the United States. and 10 rights
Conferred by charter upon the Panama Railroad
Company, and was accordingly relnquished at
. that time, 1t heing admitied that our vessels
We're entitled to be exempt from tonnage duty
in the free ports OF Panama and Aspinwan
But the purpose has been recently revived, on
the part Of New Granada. by the enactment Of
law 10 subject vessels visiting her ports to the
tonnage duty Of forty cents per tOh; and. al
though the law has not been put IN force, yet
the right TO enforce il Is still asserted, and may
at sny time, be acted on by the government Of
that Republic.
The Congress of New Grenada has also en-
acted law, during the last year, which levies
a tax Of more than three dollars on every pound
OF mail matter transported across the lsthmus.
The sum thus required to be paid on the nails
CT the United States would be nearly two mil
lions of dollars annually, in addition 10 the
large sum payable by contract 10 the Panama
Railroad Company. If the only objection to
this exaction were the exhorbitancy Of its
amount, it could not be submitted 10 BY The U.
States.
The imposition Of il, however, would obvi-
ously contravene our interests with New
Grenada, and infringe the contract Of that re-
public with the Panama Railroad Company.
The law providing for this tax was by It's
terms, to take effect on the 1st Of Sepsem-
Der last, but the local authorities on the
Isthmus have been induced 20 s. spend It's
execution, and TO wait further insiructionson
the subject from the government Of the re-
public. am not yet advised of the deter
miBatiOn of that government If a measure
Sd extraordinary in its character and clearly
ontrary to treaty stipulations. and the con-
tract rights Of the Panama Railroad Company,
composed mostly of American citizens, should
be persisted in, it will be the duty oi the
United States to resist IFS execution.
regret exceedingly that occasion exists 10
invite your Attentions to a subject OF still grav-
er import in our relations with the Repub-
lie OF New Grenada. On the fifteenth day
of April last. a riOtous assemblage of the in
habitanis of Panama committed a violent
and outra- -eous attack on the premises Of the
Railroad Company, and the passengers and
other persons IN or near the same, involving
the death of seversl citizens Of the United
States, the pillage OF many Others and the
destruction of a great deal of other property
belonging to the Railroad Company.
caused full investigation of that event to be
made, and the result shows that complete
responsibility for what occurred belongs TO
the government Of New Grenada. l have,
therefore, demanded Of thai government that
the perpetrators OF the wrongs. in question
should be punished: that provisions should
be made for the families of citizens of the
United States who were killed, with full
idemnity for the property piliaged or des-
troyed.
The present condition Of the 1sthmus or
Panama, In so far as regards the security OF
persons and property passing over It. requires
serious consideration. Recent incidents tend
tn show that the local authorities cannot be
led on 10 maintain the public peace of
2a1ama, and there IS just ground for appre-
tension that a portion OF the inhabitants are
meditating further outrsges, without sde-
quate measures for the security and protec-
ton OF persons and property having been
taken. either by the State Of Panama, or by
the General Government ol New Granada
Under the guarantees Of treaty, citizens OF
the United States have, by the outlay OF sew
eral millions of dollars, constructed rail-
road across the Isthmus, and it has become
the main route between our Atlantic and
Pacific possessions, over which multitudes of
our citizens and . vast amount OF property
are constantly passing-to the security and
protection Of all which and the continuance
of the public advantages involved, Il Is I'M
possible for the government of the United
States to be Indifferent
l have deemed the danger Of the recur-
renee of scenes Of lawless violence in this
quarter so imminent as TO make il my duty
to station part Of our naval force in the har-
bors of Panama and Aspinwall, IN order TO
protect the persons and property Of the citi-
zens of the United States in those ports, and
to insure to them safe passage across the
Isthmus. And it would, in my judgment,
be unwise to withdraw the naval force now
in those ports, until, by the spontaneous ac-
ton of the republic of New Granada, or
otherwise, some adequate arrangement shall
have hsen made for the protection and Sc
curity of line Of inter-oceanic cOmmu,Ica-
ton 80 important at this time, not to the
United States only, but TO all other maritime
States both Of Europe and America.
Meanwhile, negotiations have been insti-
tuted by means OF a special commission, to
obtain from New Granada full indemnity
for injuries sustained by our cItizcds on the
Isthmus, and satisfactory security for the
general Interests ! United States.
In addressing to you my last annual mes
sage, the occasion seems TO me an appFopri-
ate one to express my congratulations In
view of the peace, greatness and felicity
which the United States now possess and en-
1 ioy. Topoint you to the state Of tho iutelli-
/ gsnce and the integrity which pervades the
whole, would be to indicate but imperfectly
.he administrative condition of the country
and the beneficial effects of that on the gen.
/ eral welfare. Nor would il suffice TO say
that the nation is actually at peace at home
and abroad, that industrial interests are pros
porous; that the canvass OF its mariners Will
tens every sea; and the plow of its husband
man is marching steadily onward TO the
bloodless conquest of the continent; that cit
les and popslous States are spruging up, as
! if by enchantment, from the bosom OF our
western wilds, and that the courageous en-
ergy of our people is making Of these
United States the great Republic Of the
/ World.'
4 These results have not been attained without
passing through trials aud perils. by experience
Of which, and thus only, nations can harden
4 into manhood Our forefaihers were trained TO
the wisdom which conceived, and the courage
which achieved Independence, by the circum-
stances which surrounded them, and they were
thus made capable Of the creation Of the repub-
lie IL deyolved on the next generation 10 con-
solidate the work Of the revolution, to deliver
the country entirely from the influences Of con-
ficung transatlantic partialities OF antipathies,
which attached 20 our colonial and revolution
ary history, and TO organize the practical oper-