Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-12-16

from the Nicaragua %transit,no not common
to the rest of the world. Its neutrality
and protection, for the common use of
all nations, is their only object.
They have no objection That Nicara-
qua shall demand and receive a fair com
pensation, from the companies and in
E~dividuals who may traverse the route );
but they insist that it shall never here
after be crossed, by an arbitrary decree
of the Sovernmcsst. If disputes arise be-
tween it and those with those with whom
they may have entered into contracts I;
these must be adjusted by some fair tri-
bunal provided for the purpose and the
route must not be closed pending the
controversy. Yhis is our whole policy,
and it can not fail to be acceptable to
other nations.
All these difficulties might be avoid
ed, if consistently with the good faith Of
Nicaragua, the use of the transit could
be thrown open to general competition,
providing at the same time for the pay
ment of a reasonable rate to the Nicara-
qua government, on passengers and
freight.
In August 1852, the Accessory Tran
sit Company made its first interoceanic
trip ovcr the NICARAGUA route, and con-
TIMED in successful operation, with
great advantage to the public until the
18th February.1S65Hhe it was closed
and the grant to this company, as we'll
as its character, were summarily and ar
bitrarily revoked by the government of
President Rivas Previous to this date,
however in 1854, serious disputes con-
%eeruing the settlement Of their accounts
had arisen between the company
and the government, threatening the in
tcrruption of the route at any moment.
These the United States i: vain en-
deavorcd to compose. 1t would be use
less to parrate the various proceedings
which took place between the parties,
up till the time when the transit was
discontinued. Suffice it to say that since
February, 1855, it has remained closed
greatly to the prejudice of citizens of
the United States. Since that time
the competition has ceased between the
rival routes of Panama and Nicaragua:
and, in consequence thereof, an unjust
and unreasonable mount has been ex-
acted from Gus citizens for theis passage
to and from California.
u llCatJ hdc SIShCu Ou lHC 4ONn udJ
of November, 1857, by the Secretary of
Safe and Minister of Nicaragua, under
the stipulations of which the use and
protection of the transit route would
have been secured, not only to the Uni.
ted States but equally tie all other ma
tions. How and on what pretext this
treaty has failed to receive the r%atifca-
ton of the Nicaraguan government will
appear by the papers herewith commu-
nicated from the State Department. The
principal objection see ms to have uecp
to the provision AUTHORIZING me United
States to employ force 20 keep the route
open, in case Nicaragua should fail to
pc :iorm her duty in this respect.
F-um the feebleness of that Republic
its frequent changes of government,and
it's constant internal discussions, thi.
had become n NEST important stipuia-
ton, ard one essentially necessary not
only for the security of the route, bat
the safety of American citizens passing
and requesting to and from our Pacific
possessions. Were such a stipulation
embraced in a treaty betwoen the Uni
ted States and Nicaragua, the knowl.
edge of this fact would of itself most
probably prevent hostile parties from
committing aggressions on the route,
and render our actual interference for
its protection unnecessary.
The Executive Government of this
country in its intercourse with foreign
nations, is limited to the employment
of diplomacy alone. 1t can not legiti-
mately resort to force, without the di-
rect authority of Congress, except in
resisting and repelling hostile attacks.
1t would have no authority to enter the
Territories of Nicaragua, even to pre-
vent 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 oil
this character, the President would di-
rect any armed force in the vicinity to
march to their relief but in doing this
he would act upon his own responsible
ity.
Under these circumstances I earnestly
Recommend to Congress the passage OF
an act authorizing the President, under
such restrictions az they may deem
proper, to employ the land and-naval
forces of the United States in prevent
ing the transit from DelbS OUStTucteu OF
closed by lawless violence, and in pro.
tecting the lives and property of Amer
lean citizens thereupon, requiring, at
the same time that these forces shall be
Withdrawn the moment the danger shall
have passed away. Without such a pro-
vision our citize rs will be constantly ex-
posed to interruption in their progress,
and to llwless violence.
A sim lar necessity exists for the pass
age of S ich an act, for the protection of
the Parma and Tehuantepec routes.
In reference to the Panama route,
the United States, by their existing
treaty with New Granada, expressly
guarantee the neutrality of the Isthmus,
with the view that the free transit from
the one to the other sea may not be in
~terrupted or embarrassed in any future
time while this treaty exists"
In regard to the Tehuantcpec route,
which has been recently opened under
the most favorable auspices, our treaty
with Nexico of the 30th December, 49,
SD, secures to the citizens of the United
States a right of transit over K for their