The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-31
TWO CENTS.
rHE TREATY WIN gzcARAGuA

which has been approved by the constituent assembly
and signed by the President of the former, may be re-
garded the first step towards the Inauguration of
definite policy which will control in future all nego
tations with Spanish American States The practical APP
pication Of the principles which guided the negotiations
and which were recognised by the two governments
mutually beneficial viii give to all the influence and
predomnance that be desired and secure all the ad
vanagcs for commerce which the most sangnne an
nexationist have demanded.
The first point recognised in the preliminary
pondence and between the negotiating agents
Of the contracting powers was that certain mutiay
of interests exists between the two natons vital to the
weaker and ofmomcntous importance to the stronger
The second point recognised was the absolute political
equality and Independence of both the stronger not
wishing to encroach upon the distinctive nationality of
the weaker; with reservation, ON the part Of the
weaker that the treaty itself was but the preparation and
first step for much closer union.
Southern Nicaragua being one of the natural high
ways between eastern and western States the
dy and justice Of concedng the United States free
passage her territory confessed The right Of
way being part Of natural justice and not created by
statute by agreement it not necessary force its
recognition upon Nicaragua She the contrary un-
derstood its full vue both to herself and to ourselves
and claimed pecuniary other consideration its
USE but only demanded from those individuals who were
to speculative profits from it certain just share
those profits.
But as the interests Of the United States in the transit
itself to be thousand times greater than her own
the burden of defending these immense interests could
not be assumed entirely by Nicaragua it was therefore
required Of u.s. that should provide upon certain an
tcpated OCCASIONS for the defence our own property
and Of the machinery used In its transpor rtaton In
case maritime should arise between any European
nation and the United States by no means i'm
possbleit is who to defend the transit and
Nicaragua simply because are the parties most in
teresed In its protection and best able to take care of IT,
Accordingly article 1G provides az follows
Art 6 The republic Of Nicaragua agrees that should
it become necessary at time to employ military force
for the security and protection of persons and property
passing the routes will
the requisite force for that purpose but upon failure to
do this for any purpose whatever, the government of
the United States may after notice to the government of
Nicaragua or to the minister thereof in the United States
employ such force for this and for other purpose and
when the necessity ceases such force shall be immediate
ly withdrawn.
1t will be at once by readers not vese In
the history of treaties thathe above article involves
the application Of principle entirely new and accord
ance with the spirit OF the present and not of any past
generation Nicaragua distinctly admits our physical
and maritime superiority She assigns portion Of
her sovereignty She allows us to apply military
force for the protection of property upon her own
territory
The importance of the concession does not so much
consist IN its immediate effect upon our commerce
through Nicaragua in the fact that establishes
precedent for negotiation in future.
II the Cass- Yrss.ri treaty with this clause in It, Is
adopted and ratified by the Senate treaties of the same
nature will be negotiated with other Spanish
States Az, for example, wh.Mexico for tho protection
OF the Istmus of Tehuantepec; with New Granada for
the protection Of the lstrnus of Panama: with the
South American governments for the protection of our
commerce on the rivers ornoco Magdalena Amazon and
La Plata.
England has of herself and by herself, made similar
treaty of protection with the Republic Of Honduras as
safeguard Tor ncr lnteIestn Ia the pIujccte Honduras
railroad Should that enterprise be successful it will rest
for time under the contingent and potential military
protection OF England. But it must eventually if
successful become an enterprise purely American, the
transfer Of its capital to citizens and the fact Of
its being principal highway between New York and
California will oblige to make the same terms with
Honduras that have been made by England herself
Since the year 1848 future policy of intercourse
with Mexico and with Central and South America has
been pressing upon the attention of the government as
subject of the first importances indeed to none
During this interval of ten years of discussion and
inquiry, every form Of policy, from the most timid
and negative to the most exacing has been advocated
by political parties The result has been final unanm
ty of sentiment upon point namely te nccessiy Of
adopting strong protective system The and colonies
Of the Untri States epey part Of the continents Of North and
South Anrerjcd.
The inability of any republic or monarchy south of
Texas to give protection has been demonstrated by
series OF disastrous events wars asacres destruction
OF property hllibuser enterprises, interruption of inter-
course on the highways Of comerce--n ALL mass OF
ruin equal In its effects upon ourselves to a long con-
tinued and expensive
We repeat that the article above quoted from the new
treaty Is the first rational and practical step that has been
taken by for the prevention or suppress
sion Of these existing evils
The military power of the Union must follow the in
tersts of the Union wherever these become of nocea
bic magnitude. 1t is not for to inquire too tmidy
whether the adoption Of such policy as that inaugu-
rated by the Css Yrissari treaty may increase in
degree the naval and military expenses of our gov
eminent They will certainly increase them, but they
will also increase hundred fold the wealth and power
Of our country besides opening for tho future as many
points Of egress, and establishing many new foci of
emigration for our people, az there points protected
by such treaties as the under consideration
Another remarkable feature in the Cass rssar treaty
and which indicates plainly the intention to make il pre-
cedent for future Spanish American policy the
quirement that of all ansa charters ,h may granted
BY Nicaragua, The treaty Itself shall be part and pared
Art lS And it is further understood and agreed that
in any grants contracts which may hereafter be made
entered into by the government of Nicaragua having
reference to the nteroceanc routes above referred to-
convention TO the and citizens Of the United
States shall be fully protected and reserved And ii any
such grants contracts exist of valid char
acter, it Is further understood that the guarantees
and protection Of the United States stipulated in
article fifteen of this treaty shall be held imperative
and void until the holders Of such grants contracts
shall recognise the concessions made IN this treaty to the
government and citizens of the United States with rc
spect to such intcroccanic routes either of them and
shall agree to observe and bc governed by those conces
sons fully as IL they had been embraced in their
original grants contracsater which recognition and
agreement said guarantee and protection shall he In full
force provided that nothing herein contained shall bc
construed either to affirm deny the validity Of any OF
the said contracts
BY this article the government Of the Tinted States
disengages itself from the government of Nicaragua and
claims to bc acknowledged and il acknowledged the
and regulator Of