The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-05-19
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
Monday srornIsg, May 10, 1855.
NICARAGUAN AFFAIRS.


Monday AIornisg, May 10, 1855.
McARAGUAN AFFAIRS.
The President Of the United States transmitted
to both Houses Of Congress, on Thursday, the fol-
lowing Special Message:
3 TO tAs Senate aud House Of Repysssasaaisss:
transmit herewith reports of the secretarv q,
state, the Secretary Of the Navy, and the Attor.
ney General. In reply to resolution of the Sen
ate OF the 2ith OF March last, and also to resolu
ton OF tho House Of Representatives of the eth Of
may instant both having reference to the routes Of
transit between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
through the Republics of New Granada and Mica.
ragua. and to the condition of affairs In Central
America.
These documents relate to questions of the high
United States =
The narrow Isthmus which connects the CONT
nents OF North aud South America by the facilities
u Affords for easy transit between the Atlantic and
the Pacific oceans, have rendered the countries OF
Central America objects of special consideration
to all maratime nations; which has been great.
ly augmented in modern times by the operation O,
changes In commercial relations, especially those
produced by the general use of steam as the motive
power by land and sea- To u.s. on account of its pe-
oeraphica position and of cur political interests as
an American State, Of primary magnitude, that
lsthmus ID OF peculiar Importance lust as the 18th.
mus OF Sues ID, for corresponding reasons to the
maiatime powers OF Europe. But,above all the i'm.
portance to the u g. of securing free transit
the American Isthmus has rendered 1t of para.
mount interest to US since the settlement of the
territories OF Oregon and Washington and the &C.
cession OF California to the Union
lmpolled by these considerations, the u. S. took
steps II an eariy day to assure suitable means of
commercial transit, by canal, railway, or other
wise, across the Isthmus
We concluded in the first place. treaty of
peace, amity, navigation and commerce, with the
N nf Il.
OF which was q stipulation, on the part of New
Granada, guarantyng to the United States the
night OF way or transit across that part of the
isthmus which lies in the territory of New Grana-
da, in consideration of which the United States
guaranteed in respect OF the same territory the
rights of sovereignty and property of New GTana.
da
The effect of this treaty was to afford to the peo.
pie of the United States facilities for at once open.
ing a common road from Chagres to Panama. and
for at length constructing railway in the same
direction 10 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 unsuc.
cessfully, to obtain from the Mexican Republic the
cession of the right of way at the northern extre-
nifty of the isthmus by Tehauntepec, and that line
of communication continues to be an object of So
licitude to the people of this Republic.
In the mean time, intervening between the Re-
public 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 htker,
of course, public attention has been directed as
the most inviting field for enterprises of inner
oceanic communication 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 secu
rity and freedom of projected lines of travel across
the Isthmus by the way of Nicaragua and Hon
duras, still did not yield in this respect to any
suggestions of territorial aggrandizement, even
of exclusive advantage either of communication or
of commerce. Opportunities had not been want
ing to the United States to procure such advan
tages by peaceful means and with full and free
assent of those who alone had any legitimate au
thority in the matter. We disregarded those
opportunities from considerations alike of domes
tic and foreign policy just as, even to the present
day, we have persevered In a system of justice
and respect for the rights and interests of others
as well as our 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 thu United States became, with the consent
of the Mexican Republic the rightful owners of
Californv, and thus invested with augmented spe-
cal interest in the political condition of Central
America, that a military expedition under the au.
San Juan del Norte, in the State of Nicaragua and
taken forcible possession of that port, the neces
sary terminus of any canal or railway across the
Isthmus within the territories of Nicaragua
1t 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 al.
legged proteetorship of small and obscure band
of uncivilized Indians, whose proper name had
even become lost to history, who did not consti.
tute State capable of territorial sovereignty,
.bn Took pofr ri ND oil info
in whom, and in the territory they occupied,
Great Britain had previously ropounced by sue
cessive treaties with Spain when Spain was SOW
ereign to the country, and subsequently with in
dependent 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 insular 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 sim
cere 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 inter-oceanic communications
across the isthmus, and, as the indispensable con-
dtion of such neutrality, the absolute mdepen-
dence of the States of Central America and their
complete sovereignty within the limits OF their
ow n territory as well against Great Britain as
against the United States. We supposed we had
accomplished that bect by the convention OF April
10, $780, which would never have been signed nor
atified on the part OF the United States but for
the conviction that, in virtue of its provisions,
ne ither Great Britain or the United States was
thereafter to exercise any territorial sovereignty
in fact or In name, in any part OF Central America
however or whensoever acquired, either before or
afterwards. The essential object OF the conyen.
tion-the naturalization of the isthmus-would, OF
course become nullity If either Great Britain or
the United States to continue to hold exciu-
siyely islands or main land Of the isthmus, ana
more especially if, under any claim OF protector
ship of Indians, either Government were TO remain
forever sovereign in fact of the Atlantic shores OF
the three States of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and
Honduras. 5E
Ihaye already communicated to the two Houses
of Congress full information of the protracted and
hitherto fruitless efforts which the United States
have made to arrange this international question
with Great Britain 1t Is referred to on the pre-
sent occasion only because of its intimate connex-
ion with the special object now to be brought TO
the attention of Congress.
The unsettled political condition of some OF the
Spanish. American Republics has never ceased TO
be regarded by this Government with soiicitude
and regret on their account, while It has been
this source of continual embarrassment In our pup.
lie and private relations with them. IN the midst
of the violent revolutions and the wars ~ Wnicn
thew are continually agitated, their public author
80 ~ due fOrRiHn