New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-08

The Congress of New Granada has also enacted q
law, during the last year, which leves tax of more
than three dollars on every pound OF mail matter
CURED to be paid the mails of the United States
would be nearly two millions of dollars annually, in
addition to the large sum payable by contract to the
Panama Railroad Company, If the only objection to
this exacton were the exorbtancy of its amount, it
could not be submitted to by the United States.
The imposition of it, however, would obviously con-
traycne our treaty with New Granada, and infringe
the contract of that Republic with the Panama Rail
road Company. The law provdding for this tax was,
by its TERMS take effect on the first of September
last but the local authorities on the Isthmus have
been induced to suspend its execution, and to await
further instructions the subject from the govern
ment OF the Republic | am not yet advised of the
dissemination of that government. II measure so
extraordinary in its character, and so clearly contrary
to treaty stplaons, and the contract rights of the
Panama Railroad Company, composed mostly OF
American citizens should be persisted in, 1t Will be
the duty of the United States to resist its execution
regret exceedingly that occasion exists to invite
vour attention to a subject Of still @raver import in
our relations with the Republic of New Granada. On
the fifteenth day Of April last, riotous assembage
Of the inhabitants of Panama committed violent
and outrageous attack on the premises OF the railroad
company, and the passengers ana ohcr persons III OF
near the same involving the death Of several citizens
of the United States, the pase of many Others and
the destruction of large amount OF property belong
ing to the railroad company caused in lnVeS'lsa.
ton of that event to be made, and the result shows
satisfactorily that complete responsibility 1or what &C.
Cured attaches to the government of New GRANADA.
have therefore, demanded Of that 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 indemnity for the property pillaged
Or destroyed.
in so far as regards the security OF persons and
propcrty passing it, requires serious conSldera-
ton. Recent incidents tend to show that the local
authorities cannot be relied on to maintain the publc
g u npltb ilSt
hcson that portion Of the inhabitants are medlta-
ting further o,tlages without adequate measures for
the security and protection OF persons or property
having been taken either by the state OF fahala' or
; by the general government Of New Grenada.
Under the guarantees of treaty. citizens OF the
United States have, by the outlay of several millions
of dollars, constructed railroad across the lsthml5
and is has become the main route between our At
antic and Pacific possessions, which mutitudes
/ of our citizens and vast amount Of property are
constantly passillgto the security OF all which, anC
the continuance Of the public advantages involved il
is impossible for the government OF the United State
b to he indifferent.
: have deemed the danger ofthe recurrence ofscene
# of awess violence in this quarter 50 imminent as tt
make it my duty to station part OF our naval lore
= in the har6ors OF Panama and Aspinwa in order t.
!. protect the persons and property Of the citizens
the United States in those ports and to ensure to then
safe passage across the Sthms. And it would IN NJ
j. Judgment, lie unwse to withdraw the naval force nov
Y in those ports until by the spontaneous action OF tn
le rcpubc Of New Granada or otherwise, some deqlal
:: arrangement shalt have been male ror the protector
l. md security Of line OF nGroccanlc communicable
is 50 important at this time, not t" the Unite, state
G. unIy but to all other maritime states both OF Erop
of Meanwhile negotiations have been instituted b
"a means of special commission to Obtain from Me-
" t!nad. full indemnity tor injuries sustained ~ OF
at citizens on the lShmus and satisfactory security II
al the general interests of the United States
M Ii addressing to you my last annual message Il
IN occasion seems to ln an appropriate one to expire
i,ltri, #