Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-05-09
THE NEW GRANADIAN QUESTION.

As the difficulty between the Governments of the
United States and of New Granada remains still
unadjusted, and is perhaps the object of most i'm
mediate among the foreign affairs, which at
present engage the attention of our Department of
State, we have thought it due to our readers to
spread before them at length in another part of to
days Intelligencer, the correspondence which has
been already had in relation to the subject, that
they may accurately appreciate at once the different
positions assumed by the parties the controversy
together with the arguments respectively urged in
defence of their positions by the Commissioner and
Minister residut of the United States on the one
Sand, and by ts.e New Granadian Plenipotentiaries
on the other.
From this correspondence the reader will learn
that the two Governments are in accord neither as
to the facts involved in the dispute nor al to the
terms IN which it should be settled The Govern
ment of the United States holds the authorities of
New Granada responsible for the outrages commit
ted by the populace of Panama on the property and
the lives of citizens of the United States in the riot
of April Is, 1856 The New Granadian Penipo-
tentiares on the contrary charge that the first acts
of violence which led to the unfortunate fray of
that date proceeded from citizen of the United
States, who, in committing wanton assault on a
native of the country reused the elements of po-
aular hatred which, having its origin in the lawless
laracter and conduct of many among the Califor-
emigrants, had been aggravated at the time of
.e tn,eute by local causes wholly beyond the con-
Of of the New Granadian Government prominent
among which is cited the fact of the presence in
Panama of large number of persons who, hav-
ing been originally employed in the construction of
the railroad across the isthmus, had been, on its
completion, left by the company in state of dest
tuition and consequent discomfort.
The two Governments are equally at variance as
to the theory of the facts upon which the CORE
spondence between them is based; for while the
Government of the United States, assuming from
the evidence before it the responsibility of the Gov
eminent of New Granada for the outrages it failed
to prevent, proceeds at once to demand pecuniary
indemnity for the losses sustained by citizens of the
United States, the latter raises upon its view of
the facts, as naturally anterior to any pecuniary
claim, the question whether according to the prin-
cples of international law, the authorities of New
Granada should be held responsible for rotous pro-
ceedings which, though occurring within their ju
rsdiction, proceeded, as is alleged, from causes
wholly external to the civil administration of tn,
country.
The correspondence, it will be observed, con
cludes with note addressed by the COMMISSIONS
and Minister of the United States to the New Ora
madam Government announcing as the ultimatun
of the former demand of S400,000 to be paid b
the latter in naturalization for the losses and in
juries resulting to citizens of the United States iron
the events of the last year To this the New Ora
,adian Minister for Foreign Affairs replies by
punter demand of s15O, 900 upon the.Governmen
the United States, which, it is alleged, in assum
hg the defence and pleading the cause of the law
Ssss individuals who provoked the outbreak of April
1856, has taken upon itself the responsibility 9
answering to the Government of New Granada 70