Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-12-14
OItperlorn her duty ri this VI

+ tdl4 Essl
From the feebIeness Of chat repub-
Tic, ltd frequent changes Of govern
mont, land its constant internal dis
sensiohs, this had become d most i'm
Portant stipulation, and one essen
Tally necessary not only for the Sc
cnrity Eof the route, but the safety OF
American citizens passing and re-
passing to and from our Pacific pos
sessions. We're such 3 stipulation
in d treaty between the Uni
tea 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 Tor
its protection unnecessary.
s The executive government OF this
country, ia its intercourse with for
eign nations, islirnited tosthe employ
sneflt ofs diplomacy alone. " hen
this falls, ii can proceed no further.
Ii cannot legitimatcly resort to force
without direct authority Of Congress,
except in resisting and repelIing hos
tic attacks. 1t would have no an ~
,tllority To enter territories Of Nicara-
qua, even 10 prevent the destruction
of the transit, and protect the lives
and property Of our own citizens on
their passage II ID true. that on q
sudden emergency Of this character,
the President would direct any armed
force inIthe vicinity I'd march to their
relief but lin doing this he would act
upon Liz own responsibility. ,5t
ULdef these circumstances, ! earn
estly recommend TO Congress the pas
sage Of an act authorizing the Presi-
dent, under such restrictionsias they
may deem proper, to employ the land
and naval forces of the United States
III preventing tho transit from being
obstructed or closed BY lawless VIC
lence, and in protecting the lives and
property Of American citizens there
upon, requiring at the samo time that
these forces shall be withdrawn the
moment the danger shall have passed
away. Without snclla provision our
citizens will constantly be exposed to
interruption in their progress, and 70
lawless violence,
A similar necessity exists for the
passage Of an net, for the protection
Of the Panama and Tehuan tepec
routes. .fas 8#.5l agl "a %
4 In reference to the Panama route,
the United States by their existing
treaty with New Greneda, expressly
guarantee the Morality ofthe Isthmus,
with the view that the free transit
from tho one to- the other sea may not
be interrupted Or embarrassed in any
future time while this treaty exists.
Inregard TO the Tehnantepecro
which has been recently opened IN
der tho most favorable auspices, our
treaty with Mexico Of the 30th De
cember 1853, secures the citizens of
the United States the right Of transit
over it for their persons and mcrchan-
die, and stipulates that neither gov
eminent shall interposc any obstacle
thereto. It also comedies to the Uni.
ted States tho fright Of transport
across tho Isthmus, III closed bags,
the mails of the United States not III
tended for distribution along the line
of the communication; also, the ef-
fects ofthe United States government
and its citizens which may be intend
ed for transit, and not for distribu-
tion on the Isthmus, free Of custom
house or other charges by the Next
can government.
These treaty stipulatioHs with New
Grenada and Mexico in addition to
the considerations applicable to tho
Nicaragua route, seem to require leg
islation fof the purpose Of CARRYING
them into effect. NJ
The injuries Which have beon III
aicted upon our citizens in Costa Rlca
and Nicaragua, during the last two
or three years, have received the
prompt attention ofthis government.
Some of these injuries have been Of
the most aggravated character.
The transactions Of Virgin Bay III
April 1856, when a company Of IN
armed Americans, were in no way
collected with a belligerent conductor
party, were fired upon BY the troops
Of Costa Rica, and numbers Of them
killed and wounded, was brought 70
the knowledge Of Congress BY my
predecessor soon after its occurrence,
and was also presented to the govern
lnent Of Costa RIGA, for that imm edi-
ute investigation and redress which
the nature of the case demanded.
va similar course was pursued with
reference to other ontrages in these
countries, some Of which were hard
~ less aggravated III their character
than the transaction at Virgin Bay,
At the time, however, when our
present ministerEto Nicaragua was
appointed, IN December, 1857, no re.
dress had been obtained for anyol
these wrongs, and no reply even had
been received to the demands which
had been. made by this government
upon that Of Costa Rica moro than
= year before. ouF minister was in