Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-18

the Nicaragua transit not common to the rest
OF the world. Its neutrality and protection,
for the common use of all nations, is their on
ly object. They have no objection that Nj
caragua shall demand and receive fair COM
pensation from the companies and individuals
who may traverse the route but they insist
that it shall never hereafter be closed by an
arbitrary decree Of that government If dis.
putes arise between it and those with whom
4 they may have entered into contracts, these
! must be adjusted by some fair tribunal provi-
| ded for the purpose and the route must not
be closed pending the controversy. This is
our whole policy, and it cannot fail to be ac-
| ceptable to other nations.
All these difficulties might be avoided If.
consistently with the good faith of Nicaragua,
| the use Of this transit could be thrown open
to general competition providing at the same
time Tor the payment Of reasonable rate to
the Nicaraguan government, on passengers
and freight.
In August, 1852. the Accessory Transit
Company made it, first interoceanic trip over
the Nicaraguan route, and continued IN sue.
cessful operation, with great advantage 10 the
public, until the 18th Of February, 1856,
when it was closed, and the grant TO this
Company, as we'll as its chart. r, were sum.
marly and arbitrarily revoked by the gov
erEment of President Rivas. Previous to
this date, however. in 1854, serious disputes
conce rning the settlement of their accounts
had arisen between the Company and the gov
errment, threatening the interruption of the
| route at any moment These the q. s. in
vain endcavored to COMPOSE. It would be
useless to narrate the various procee dings
which took place between the parties, up till
the time when the transit was discontinued,
Suffice it to say that since February, 1856,
it has remained closed, greatly to II e preiu-
dice of citizens Of the U. S. Since that tims
the compel .tion has ceased between the rival
routes Of Panama and Nicaragua, and in con-
sequence thereof. an unjust and unreasonable
amount has been cxacted from onr citizels
for their passage to and from California
A treaty was signed the 10th day Of Nov.
ember. 1857, by the Secretary of state, and
the Minister Of Nicaragla, under the slipula-
tions of which the use and protection Of the
Transit route would have been secured, not
only to the U. s., but equally to all other ma
| tiOns. How and on what pretexts this trea-
ty has failed to receive the ratification of the
Nicaraeuan government, will appear by tho
papers herewith communicated by the State
Department. The principal Oh, ction seems
U. S. to employ force to keep the route
open, in case Nicaragua should fail to per.
form her duty in this respect. From the ice
bleness of that republic, its frequent changes
of government, and it's constant internal dis
sensions, this had become most important
stipulation, and one essentially necessary not
only for the security of the route, but for
the safety of American citizens passing and
repassing to and from our Pacific possessions
We're such stipulation embraced in a treaty
between the U. S. and Nicaragua, the know
ledge of this fact would of itself most proba-
bly, prevent hostile parties from committing
aggressions on the route, and render our &C.
tual interference for its protectio, necessary
The executive government of this country,
in its intercourse with foreign nations, is limi-
ted to the employment of diplomacy alone
When this fails, it can proceed no further. 1t
cannot legitimately resort to force, without
the direct authority of Congress, except in re-
sisting and repeing hostile attacks. 1t would
have no authority to enter the territories of
Nicaragua, even to prevent the destruction of
the transit and protect the lives and property
of our own citizens on their passage. 1t Is
| true that on a sudden emergency of this char
acter, the President would direct an armed
force in the vicinity to march to their relief,
but in doing this he would act on his own re.
| sponsibility.
THE TRANSIT ROUTES, ETC.
UnA" these circumstances l would ear.
nestly recommend to Congress the passage Of
an act authorizing the President, under such
restrictions as they may deem proper, to en-
ploy the land and naval forces of the United
States in preventing the transit from being
obstructcd or closed by lawless violence, and
in protecting the lives and property of Ameri-
can citizens travelling thereupOn, requiring at
the same time that these forces shall be with
drawn at the moment the danger shall have
passed away. Without such provision, our
citizens will be constantly exposed to inter-
ruption in their progress, and to lawless vio-
lence.
similar necessity exists for the passage
Of such an act, for the protection of the Fa-
mama and Tehuantepec routes.
In reference to the Panama route, the Uni
ted States by their existing treaty with New
Granada, expressly guarantee the neutrality
of the lsthmus, with the view that the free
t. lit from the one to the other sea may not
b, interrupted or embarrassed in any future
time while the treaty exists.
In regard to the Tehauntepec route, which
has been recently opened under the most IA
vOrable auspices, our treaty with Mexico Of
the 30th December, 1858, secures to the citi-
zens of the United States right of transit
over it for their persons and merchandise,
and stipulates that neither government shall
''interpOse any obstacle" thereto. 1t is also
comedies to the United States the fright to
transport across the lsthmus, in closed bags,
the mails of the United States not intended
for distribution along the line of the commu
nication also the effects of the United States
government and it's citizens whicn may be
intended for transit, and not for distribution
on the Isthmus, free of Custom House or 9TH
er charges by the Mexican government"
The treaty stipulatiOns with New Granada
and Mexico, in addition to the considerations
applicable to the Nicaragua route, seem to re-
quirc legislation for the purpose of carrying
them into effect
| The injuries which have been inflicted upon
our citizens at Costa Rica and Nicaragua du-
ring the last two or three years, have received
the prompt attention of this government.
Some of these injuries were of the most ag-
gravated character. The transactions at Vir-
gin Bay in April, 1856, when a company of
unarmed Americans who were in no way con-
nected with any belligerant conduct or party
were fired upon by the troops of Costa Rica,
and numbers of them killed and wounded,
was brought to the knowledge of Congress by
nv predecessor soon after it's occurrence, and
| was also presented to the government of Cos,
ia Riea, for that immediate investigation and
redress which the nature of the case demanded.
A similar course was pursued with reference
to other outrages in these countries, some of
which were hardly less aggravated in their
| character than the transaction at Virgin Bay.
At the time, however. when our present min
lister to Nicaragua was appointed in Decem-
Der, 1857, no redress had been obtained for
any of these wrongs, and no reply even had
been received to the demands which had
been made by this Government upon that of
Costa Rica, more than year before. Our
Minister was instructed, therefore, to lose no
time in expressing to those governments the
deep regret with which the President had
witnessed this intention to the just claims of
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