Washington sentinel., 1856-05-17

10 Me Senate and House Of Representatives.
| transmit herewith reports of the Secretar,
OF State, the Secretary of the Navy, and th,
Attorney General, in reply to resolution o
the Senate of the 24th of March last, and alst
to resolution of the House of Representa-
tives OF the Sth Of May instant, both having
reference to the routes of transit between thu
Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the he
pubcs of New Granada and Nicaragua, anC
to the condition of affairs in Central 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 coun.
tries of Central America an object of special
consideration to all maritime nations, which
has been greatly augmented in modern times
by the operation of changes in commercial re-
lations, especially those produced by the gene
raj use OF steam as motive power by land
and sea- To us, on account Of its geographi-
cal position and Of our political interest as an
American State of primary magnitude, that
sthmus is of peculiar importance, just as the
isthmus of Suez is, for corresponding reasons,
to the maritime powers of Europe. But, above
ALL the importance to the United States of Sc
curing free transit across the American isthmus
has rendered it of paramount interest to us
since the settlement of the Territories of Oregon
and Washington and the accession of Calfor
MIA to the Union.
Impelled bythese considerations, the United
States took steps at early day to assure suita-
BILE means of commercial transit by canal, rail
way, or otherwise, across this sthmus.
We concluded in the first place, treaty Of
peace, amity, navigation, and commerce with
the Republic of New Granada, among the con-,
ditions of which was stipulation on the part
Of New Granada, guarantying to the United
States the right OF way or transit across that
part of the isthmus which lies in the territory
of New Granada, in consideration 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 a common road from Chagres to
Panama, and for at length constructing rail-
way in the same direction, to connect regularly
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, 10 OUtalu lTOln tHe hehlcdH ne
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 to the peo-
pie of this Republic
In the mean time, intervening between the
Republic of New Granada and the Mexican
Republic, lie the States Of Guatemala, Salvador
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 narrowest part
of the isthmus and hither, of course, public at
tenton has been directed as the most inviting
field for enterprises of inter roceanic commun
cation between the opposite shores of America,
and more especially TO the territory of the
States of Nicaragua and Honduras.
Paramount to that of any European States
as was the interest Of the United States in the
security and freedom of projected lines of travel
across the isthmus by the way Of Nicaragua
and Honduras, still we did not yield in this re-
spect to any suggestions of territorial aggran.
dlzement, or even Of exclusive advantage either
Of communication or Of commerce. Opportu-
mites had not been wanting to the United
States to procure such advantages by peaceful
means and with full and free assent of those
who alone had any legitimate authority in the
matter. Wedisregarded those opportunities from
considerations alike Of domestic and foreign
policy; Just as, even to the present day, we
have persevered in a system of Justice and re-
spect for the rights and interests of others as
well 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 Guadalupe
Hidalgo, BY which the United States became,
with the consent of the Mexican Republic, the
rightful owners of California, and thus invested
with augmented special interest in the political
condition Of Central America, that a military
expedition under the authority of the British
Government bad landed at San Juan del
Norte, in the State of Nicaragua, and taken
forcible possession Of that port, the necessary
terminus Of any canal or railway across the
isthmus within the territories of Nicaragua.
II 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 protectorship Of a small and obscure
band of uncivilized Indians, whose proper
name had even 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
reuouneed by successive treaties with Spain,
when Spain was sovereign to the country,
aud subsequently with independent Spanish
America.
Nevertheless, and injuriously 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 insu-
lar and Of continental portions Of the territory
Of the State Of Honduras, we remembered the
many and powerful ties and mutual interests
by which Great Britain and the United 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 neutrality OF
all interoceanic communications across the
isthmus, and, as the indispensable condition Of
such neutrality the absolute independence Of
the States Of Central America and their com
plete 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 conven.