New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-16

Government 10 defend and protect them against the
inhabitants of the Isthmus seem in some danger of
suffering the fate Of the unfortunate BritOns who
called in the Saxons to aid them against the Pcts.
In their great eagerness to get charter the Com
pany were not very particular as to the terms on
which il was granted. Fearing perhaps lest they
might be underbid by rivals, they made bargain
with the Government of New Granada by no means
very favorable TO themselves. The charter of
the road only extends at the utmost, to
period of forty-nine years from the COM
petion of the road, at the end of which period
the road must revert to the New Granadan
Government. But the rights of the Company are
liable to terminate much more summariy still,
since at the expiration of twenty years, the Gov
eminent may take it on payment of five millions of
dollars or at the end of thirty years on the pay
ment of two millions, or less than One-third the
cost Now, beside the quarrels which the Com
pany has got into with the NewGranadan Govern
ment and the State of Panama, it has another quar-
rel with our own Government on the subject of
transporting the California mails, for which, in
the opinion Of the Department, an enormously
unreasonable sum has been demanded, advant-
age being taken of the monopoly of the
Company to compel submission to it. Now, in
coming in at the call of the Company TO demand
redress from the w-Granadan Government for
the late riots and security also against their
renee for the future, our Government, while thus
mindful of the wrongs and rights of the Company
has not wholly forgot its own 1t seems to have
aimed al killing two birds with stone, at bind
ing the Company TO future good behavior with
rope of its own twisting, and while securing the
road against riots to itself also against ex
tortion Hence the demand made on the New
Granadan Government to sell out all their rights
in the railroad reversionary and otherwise, to the
United States-an operation which would put the
railroad completely under our Governments thumb
The Company don't make, or have not yet made
much noise about it, but We are inclined to suspect
that this proposition is hardly less paat2be to them
than to New Granada. and that if worst should
come to worst serious obstacle to carrying it out
might be found in the refusal Of the Railroad Com
pany to be thus sold and transferred. The United
States would be quite a different master from the
Republic of New Granada, and would hardly be apt
to put up with treatment to which the poverty
and weakness of that Republic Obige it to submit
As lords paramount and reversoners of the railroad
the United States would be very apt to find out
that they were invested with rights of taxation and
control, claimed indeed by the Governments of New
Granada and Panama, but which at present it is
easy enough for the Company to set at naught
The Government of Panama allege, for instance,
that the Railroad Company ought to pay the
expense Of the police force, the maintenance OF
which is necessary, and only necessary, for the pro-
lection Of the road and the persons and property
brought over it. Such proposition, however
reasonable il may seem, it is easy to scout,
coming from the feeble Government of Panama;
but SET up by the United States, it would be quite
another matter and we are inclined TO think that,
by way Of making things pleasant, as Mr.. Hudson
used to say the Company might find it expedient
to carry the mails of the United States for any
sum, however small which the Postmaster General
might see fit to fix upon reasonable.
So as TO another matter Of controversy which has
arisen between the Company and the Government
of New Granada By the charter the Company
were to be allowed eight years in which to finish
the road the charter to be forfeited if the road was
not finished within that period The eight years
has not vet expired but the road as is we'll known,
has been in operation throughout its whole extent,
for some year or two past. The New Granadan
Government insist upon reckoning the terms of for
ty-nine thirty and twenty years, mentioned in the
charter, from the period when the road was opened
through. The Company, on the ground that since
that opening they have laid out large sums on the
road insist upon reckoning from the end of the eight
years. Now, it is pretty obvious that in contro-
yerSy of this sort the Company might find it some
what easier to deal with the Government of New
Granada than with the Government Of the United
States.
As the United States could hardly expect
that the new Granadan Government would be apt
to part with road and territory which form
the only feasible route of communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of that republic ex
cept for pretty round price, so the company
could hardly anticipate that the United States
would not be inclined TO exert to the utmost rights
and privileges which had cost them so round sum
of money; and serious objections as they may have
Ia the Jurisdiction of King Log, they will hardly
regard it as a point gained to be passed over to
King StoTk.
A short time ago. when a leading London jour
nal desrous Of stimulating the English people into