Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-08

W ere such stipulation embraced m treaty De-
| tween the United States and Nicaragua, the
knowledge Of this fact would II itself most prob
ably prevent hostile parties from committing az
gressons on the route, and render our nctuai In
| terIerence for its protection unnecessary.
The executive government Of this country. IN
ITS insercsnrse with foreign nations is limitesi 10
| the employment ot diplomacy alone. When this
fais. 1t can proceed no further. 1t cannot legti-
mately resort to force, without the direct authority.
of Congress, except in resisting repelling hostile
attacks ltwouldbaye authority to enter the ter
rit"res OF Nicaragua. even to prevent the destruc-
tion Ut tho transtand to protect the lives aud prop
erty ut our own citizens their passage. Ii strue
thaton sudden emergency Of this character, the
President would direct any armed force in the vi
entity to marc, to their relief; butin doin: this he
would act upon ms own responsibility.
Under these circumstance, | earnestly recon-
mend to Congress, the passage of an act authors
ENG the President under snch restrictions rs they
may deem proper. to employ the and'hnd naval
forces ofthe United States in preventing the tran
sit from being obsructed or closed by lawless vo-
lcnce and in projecting the lives and property of
American citizens travelling tIereupon. requiring
ut the same time that these forces shall be with
drawn the moment the danger shall have passed
away. without such II provision, our citizens
will be constantly exposed to interruption in their
progress, and to lawlcss violence.
A similar necessity exists for the passage Of
such nm act, 70, the protection Of the Panama and
.Tehuantepec routes.
In reference to the Panama route, the United
States, by their existing treaty with. New Grana-
In, expressly guarantee the neutrality of the
Isthmus, with the view that the free transit from
the one to the other sea may not bc interrupted
embarrassed III any future time while this treaty
exists"
In regard to the Tehuantepec route which has
been recently opened under the most favorable
| auspices, our treaty with Mexico of the Goth De-
ccmber 1853, secures to the citizens of the United
States right Of transit over it Tor their persons
aud merchandise and stipulates that neither gov
eminent shall "interpose any obstacle thereto
1t also comedies to the United States the right TO
transport across the lsthmus in closed bags, tho
mails Of the United States not intended for distri
button along the line OF the communication ; also,
the effects of the United States government and
| its citizens which may be intended for transit
| and not for distribution the lsthmus. free OF
custom-h"use or other charges by the Mexican 60
| yernment.'
| These treaty stipulations with Now Granada and
Mexico, in addition to the considerations npplica
BILE to the Nicaragua route, seem to require iegis-
lation for the purpose of carrying them INTO effect.
! The injuries which have been inflicted upon
| our citizens in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, during
! the last two three years, have received the
prompt attention of this government. Some Of
these I'M ures were Of the must aggravated char
acter Tho transaction at Nirg in Bay in April,
| 1856, when II company of unarmed Americans
who We're in no way connected with any bellger-
ent conduct or party, were fired upon by tho
troops of Costa RIGA. and numbers of them killed
and wounded was brought to the, knowledge Of
Congress by my predecessor soon after its occur
renee and was also presented to the government of
Costa Rica, for that immediate nyestg ation aud
| redress which the nature Of the case demanded.
| similar course was pursued with reference to
| other outragcs in these COUNTRIES, some Of which
were hardly less aggravated in their character
! than the transaction Of Nirs u Bay. AT the time,
| however when our present minister to Ncaragul
appointed in December, 1877, no redress had
been obtained for any of these wrongs, and no re-
| ply even had been received 10 the demands which
! had been made by this government upon that of
| Costa Rica more than n wear before. Our minis
| ter was instructed the retore, toose notme in ex-
pressing to those governments the deep Iret with
| which the President had witnessed this lnatten-
| ton to the Just claims Of abe United States, and
in demanding their prompt and satistact Try ad-
| jusment. Unless this demand shall be complied
with Mt an early day IT " Al only remain for this
| government To adopt such other measures rs may
! be necessary, in ORDER to obtain for itself that
| justice which it has in vain attempted to secure
by peaceful means, from the governments of Nj
caragua and Costa Rca. While it has shown
and will continue to show, the most sincere re-
gard for the rights and honor Of these republics
it cannot permit this regard to be met by an utter
neglect, on their part, of what is due to the gov
ernment and citizens ot the United States
Against New Granada We have lonG~standing
causes Of complaint, arising out Of the unsatishcd
claims Of our citizens upon that republic and to
those have been more recently added the outrages
committed upon citizens ut Panama in April
1886. A treaty for the aliustment OF these diff
cuties, was concluded by the Secretary Of State
ind the minister of New Granada in September
1857. which contained just and acceptable prov-
sons Cor that purpose. Til, treaty transmit
| ted to Bognta, and was ratified by the government
| ut New Granada. but with certain amend mentS,--
1t was not however, returned to this city until at
ter the close of the last session of the Senate. 1t
! will be immediately transmitted to that body for
| their advice and consent; and should this DO OBJ
tanned it will remove all existing causes Of
complaint against New Granada ON the subject of
| claims.
| Questions have arisen between the two govern
ments, as to the right of New Granada to levy n
| tonnage duty upon the vessels of the United
| States in its ports OF the lSthmus, and to levy u
| passenger tax upon our citizens arriving in that
country. whether with n des IN to remain there ur
Ia pass from ocean to ocean hv the transit route,
and also II tax upon the mail Of the United States
transported over the Panama railroad The gov
! crnmeht Of New Granada has been informed that
| the United States would consider the collection Of
either Of these taxes as all act in Violation OF the
treaty between the two countries, and such
| would be resisted by tie United States. Al the
! same time we are prepared to discuss these ques-
| tons in spirit of amity and justice and with Il
,uceic desire to adjust them in a satisfactory
manncr. \ negotiation for that purpose, has al
| ready Ieen commenced. No effort has recently
been made to collect these taxe:, nor rs any anti
| cpated under present circumstance.
| With the empire Of Brazil our relations are of
| the m st friendly character. The productions OF
the two countries, and especially those OF an agri-
cultural nature are such ss to invite extensive
mutual exchanges. \ large quantity of Ameri-
! can -four is culsuuled in Brazil whilst more than