Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-12-12
republic Of New Granada. On the 18th

republic of New Granada. On the 18th
ldaysof April last, asriotous assemblage of
the Inhabitants Of Panama committed q
violent and outrageous attack on the pre-
misses OF the railroad company and the
passenge and other persons in or near
The same. involving the death of many
citizens OF the United States, the pillage
of many others. and the destruction of a
large amount Of property belonging to
the railroad company. caused full in
vestigati6nC Of that event totbe made, and
the result shows satisfactorily that COM
plete responsibility for what occurred at
iaclies st6lfhe government of New Grana1
da. l have, therefore, demanded of that
'governme Mt that the perpetrators of@the
wrongs in question should be punished;
that provision should be made for, the
families ofthe citizens ofthe United States
who were killed, with full indemnity for
the property pillaged or destroyed.
The present condition oftthe isthmus
OF Panama, in so far as regards the secua
rity of persons and property passing over
il, requires serious consideration. Recent
incidents terd to show that the local au>
tho1ities cannot be relied on to maintain
the public peace of Panama, and there is
just ground for apprehension that por-
ton of:Lhe inhabitants aremeditating fur.
Their outrages. without adequate meas
sures for the security and protection Of
persons and property having been taken
by the State OF Panama or by the general
government Of New Granada.
81 Of
Of the United States have, by the outlay
Of several million dollars, constructed a
railroad across the isthmus. and it has boz
come the main route between our Allan
tic and Pacific possessions, over which
mutitudes Of our citizens and a vast
amount Of property are constantly passing
to the security and protection of all
which, and the continuance of the public
advantages involved. it is impossible for
the government Of the United States TO be
Indifferent. .4
have deemed the danger of the recur-
renee Of scenes Of lawless violence in this
quarter so imminent as to make it my du-
ty to station a part Of our naval force in
the harbors Of Panama and Aspinwall. in
order TO protect the persons and property
ofthe citizens of the United States in
those ports. and to insure to them safe
passage across the isthmus. And il
would. in my judgment, be unwise to
withdraw the naval force now in those
ports until. by the spontaneous action of
the republic Of New Granada, or Others
wise. some adequate arrangements shall
have been made for the protection and se>
surity of line of inter ocearic commune
cation. so important ar this time, not to
the United States only, but TO all other
maritime States both of Europe and Am
erica.
Meanwhile, negotiations have been in
stituted, by means Of special commits
sion, 10 obtain from New Granada full in
demnity for injuries sustained by our cit>
liens on the isthmus, and satisfactory Sc
curity for The general interests of the Uni
ted States.
In addressing to you my last annual
message, the occasion seems to me an APP
propriate one to express my congratula:
tons in view of the peace. greatness, and
felicity which the United States now pos
sess and enjoy. To point you to the state
of the various departments of the govern
mcnt, and of all the great branches OF the
public service. civil and military, in order
to speak Of the intelligence and the integ-
rity which pervades the whole, would be
to indicate but imperfectly the admins.
trative condition OF the country, and the
bene6 fetal effects Of that on the general
welfare. Nor would it suffice 10 say
that the nation is actually at peace at
home and abroad; that its industrial inte-
rests are prosperous; and that the canvas
Of its mariners whitens every sea, and the
plough Of its busbandman is marching
steadily onward to the bloodless conquest
of the continent; that cities and populous
States are springing up, as if by enchant-
ment, from the bosom of our western
wilds, and that the courageous energy Of
our people is making Of these United
States the great republic Of the world
There results have not been attained with
out passing through trials and perils, BY
experience Of which, and thus only, ma
tons can harden into manhood. Our
! forefaLhers 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 republic. 1t devolved on the next
generation 20 consolidate the work of the
revolution, to deliver the country entirely
from the influences of conflicting trans
atlantic partiaI!ies or antipathies, which
attached to our colonial and revolutionary
history, and to organize the practical OPP
Grafton of the constitutional and legal in.
stutions of the Union To us, Of this
generation, remains the not less noble
task of maintaining and extending the
national power. We have at length
reached that stage Of our country's career
| in which the dangers to be encountered,