New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-10

ard ses. both Of which are indeed, capable of
being Travelled over, but the right 10 travel over
which is regulated smong all civilized nations by
totally different Iules, lard beisg the subject oi
private property and Of exclusive nstional occupa-
ton, ard the sea being equally open to all nivgators'
If the United States were sh0al OF the ocean
Ike the Grand Bank, then al creation would have
the right TO fish upon it; no dolbt Of that. but
beng land As it is we are no. aware Of any rgh'
in the Britisb Government to a free transit, un-
regulated and uncontrolled By u.s. through the State
of Meme for instance, however convenient II might
be to them While insisting upon or own rights'
which, after all, are but quasi rights, matters OF
national courtesy and comfy, it will not do 10 over
look tie strict and unquestonabe rights Of Central
America. The FIRST night Of sll States and OF al
peoples is self preservation. We al know per-
fectly well. however Mr. Buchanan may choose to
wink il out of sight that the transit route through
Nicaragua had not long been opened when il was
made tie means of introducing into that country
large bodies Of hostile invaders whose object it
Was TO subvert the existing Government, and to
make themselves the lords and masters Of the
country and IFS inhabitants. Mr.. Buchanan knows
perfectly well that the Transit Company
Itself, in tie hopes Of escaping payment
of the sums due by it to the Nicara.
guam Government, and otherwise sharing in
the punder, secretly aided aud abetted in this
invasion; and that, by Of their possession and
control of this istbmus route, this band OF plunder
ers was able for year or more to hold large part
Of the territory Of Nicaragua in the most cruel sub
ection burning towns, plundering farms, forfetiDg
estates, and now and then shooting those Of the n
habitants who resisted them II thus appears that,
however convenient TO us aud the rest OF the world
and however useful in many respects to the people
Of Central America themselves, tran.it the
isthmus may be, it also exposes them to most Sc
rious danger Of invasion, robbery and plunder,
against which they are fully entitled TO defend them
selves, however that defense may interfere with the
convenience Of the United States and other nations.
They have the fullest and most unquestionsble
right, if II be necessary TO their defense, to 60 the
length Of closing the Isthmls route altogether; nor
have We the slightest tight TO call upon them to
open it without sfording the most ample guaranty
that il shall not be employed as means Of renewed
invasions ard robberes As the existence of this
route for foreign travel and commerce across their
country subjects the Government Of Nicaragua
to new expenses, they are fully entitled to levy
upon that travel ald commerce charges in the ma
ture Of light house and port duties, fully sufficient
TO reimburse their expenses. Nay more their
position between the two oceans is one of which
they are entitled to reap the benefit and to derive
revenue from it, as much as any nation is from any
other natural advantage. What would be thought
Of the honesty or reasoGableness Of Nr. Buchanan
if, having bought new farm separated from his
prefen. large estate by the intervening lot OF some
poor widow, he should insist upon having a thor
oughlare through the widows lot, nay through her
very hOuse.yard itielf, as matter of pure right,
and without making her any reasonable compensa-
ton therefor Nor are we aware that in such
cases nations stand upon any other ground than
private individuals.
The whole difficulties about the Transit route
have been produced by ourselves and by our own
people The people Of Nicaragua and Costs Rica
were obliged to break il up pure matter of self
defense. Not even Mr.. Buchanan, we believe, de-
Lies that in breaking il up they were fully justified;
nor is il reasonable in US to expect its reestablish
mcnt on terms Ike those insisted upon by Messrs.
Buchanan and Cass which amount in fact, TO sn
entire surrender on the part of the Ncaraguan
Government of any right ever to close it again, no
matter to what uses il might be put.
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