True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-12-15

The commerce OF other nstltns is not to lC
tand still and await the adjustment of such al
,e;ty controversies. The government oi u
he United States expect no more than this h
md they will not be satisfied With less b
They would not, if they could, derive any n
advantage from the Nicaragua transit, not a
common 10 the rest Of the world Its neu- o
trality and protection, for the common use i
Of all nations, is their only object. c
They have no objection that Nicaragua {
should demand and receive fair compen- i
sation, from the companies md individuals
who may traverse the route; but they in
sist that it shall never hereafter be crossed,
by an arbitrary decree of the government
If disputes arise between il and those with
whom they may have entered into contract,
these must be adjusted by some fair tribu-
nal provided for the purposs, and the route
must not be closed pending the controver-
sy. This is our whole policy, and it can
moi fail to be acceptible to o her nations
All these difficulties might be avoided,
if, consistently with the good faith of MIC
aragua, the use of The transit could be
thrown open to general competition, pro-
viding at the same time for the payment
of reasonable rate to the Nicaraguan
Government, on passengers and freight.
In August, 1852, the Accessory Transit
Company made its first ineroceanic trip
over the Ncaraguan route, and continued
in successful operation, with great advan'
tage TO the public, until the 18th Of Febru-
ary, 1856, when it was closed, and the
grant to this company, as we'll as its char
ter were summarily and arbitrarily revoked
by the government Of Pres. Rivas. Pre-
vous to this date, however, in 1854, seri-
} Gus disputes concerning the settlement Of
their accounts had arisen between the
company and the government, threatening
the interruption ofthe route at any moment
These the United States in vain endea.
) vored to compose. 1t would be useless to
5 narrate the various proceedings which took
place between the parties, up to the time
when the transit was discontinued. Suf
s fce it to say that since February 1855, il
= has remained tlosed, greatly to the preju.
: dice of citizens of the United States
Since that time the competition has ceased
s between the rival routes Of Panama and
Y Nicaragua, and, in consequence thereof
n an unjust and unreasonable amount has
/. been exacted from our citizens for theil
1t passage to and f,om California.
s. A treaty was signed on The 10th day o
i November, 1857, by the Secretary o
: State and the Minister of Nicaragua, unde
i the stipulaions Of which the use and pro
g lection of The transit route would hav,
1t been secured, moi only to the United State
}. but equally to all other nations. How
j. and on what pretext this treaty has faile'
IS to receive the ratification of the Nicaragua
d government will appear by the papers
e herewith communicated from the Stat
Department. The principal objects seen
IS to have been the provision authorizing tn,
8 United States 70 employ force to keep tn
@ route open, in case Nicaragua should fai
e to perform her duty in this respect.
t From the feebleness Of that Republic
# its frequent changes of government, and it
s constant internal dssentions. this hat
n become most important stipulation, ant
s one essentially necessary not only for tht
i security of the route, but the safety o
] American citizens passing and repassing Il
S and from our Pacific possessions. Were
I. such stipulation embraced in a treaty
. between the United States and Nicaragua
C the knowledge of this fact would of itsel
Y most probably prevent hostile parties from
t committing aggressions on the route, an
render our actual Interference for its pro
r lection unnecessary.
v The Executive Government of thi
d country, in its intercourse with foreigl
e nations, is limited to the employ G
= diplomacy alone, 1t cannot legitimael
# resort 10 force, without the direct authori
h ty Of Congress, except in resisting and re
s peling hostile attacks. 1t would have n
IS authority to enter the Territories of Mica
IS aqua, even to prevent the destruction of tn
n transit, and protect the lives and properI
/. of her own citizens on the passage. Ii
J. true that, on a sudden emergency of TIL
70 character, the President would direct All
armed force in the vicinity to march
e to their relief; but in,dolng this he wou
= be acting on his own responsibility.
}. Under these circumstances, earnestl
e recommend to Congress the passage OF
lie act authorising the President, under sue
# restrictions as they may deem proper,
employ the land and naval forces Of th
10 United States, in preventing the trans
Of from being obs,ructed or closed by lawle
i. violence, and in protecting the lives an
IN property of American citizens thereupo
ut requiring at the sametime that these fore
ut shall be withdrawn the moment the da
- ger shall have passed away. Witho
ID such provision, our citizens will be col
II stantly exposed to interruption in the
at progress, and to lawless violence.
Mt A similar necessity exists for the pa
a. sage of such an act, for the protection
W the Panama and Tehuantepec routes.
N In reference to the Panama route, Il
10 United States, with their existing trea
of with New Grenada, expressly guarant
1t the neutrality Of the IsthmuS "with {
IN view that the free transit from one to t
o. other sea may no, be interrupted or el
to barrassed in any future time, while Il
es treaty exists"
IS In regard 10 the Tehuautepec roul
ic which has been recently opened under t
W most favorable auspices, our treaty vi
es Mexico, of the 30th Of December, l65
,g secures to the citizens ofthe United Stat
ne a right of transit over it for their perso