The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-30
DIFFERENCES WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN.

Il
7 Committee on Foreign Affairs to whom referred
Hau,e bill No 67s - A bill appropriatng money to
enable the President to settle unajusted differences with
t government Of Spain aud ipr other purposes " and
Mo House bilf No Gs4 "A bill authorizing the Pres
dnt 10 obtain loan Of money for certain purp &c.
nave had the under consideration, and report
tho close Of the struggle with Great Britain for i-
psndence the United States possessed territory
s Gull of Mexico their southern boundary being nearly
incident with tie present boundary OF Florida
extended its intersection with the Mississippi river at
glo Of north latitude. - la IA lfaFf.ffati ai
The Mississippi river then their western boundary
f west OF the extreme frontier settlements and their
nroductions being entirely east of the Aiieghanies
mere needed ports except the Atlantic seaboard
ia 1895 Spain held all the sosss Of the Gulf; but ia
1900 oeied louisiana from the perdo 10 the Sabine, to
France. .a p sEaa8Cia gNN4
After the close of the Of Independence settle
mens spread westward and the rich valley between this
Aeghanes and the Mississippi soon received hardy and
enterprsng population. under whose industry Its fertile
soil and unelnaed resources We're beginning to furnish
material ior an incalculable This commerce
necessarily sought the through the Mississippi and
AS the mouth OF the river in possession ri of Spain
and afterwards of France jealousy and ifeeling were
engcndered between friendly nations constantly threaten
e hostile collisions against which the prudence Of rulers
could furnish guarantee, i. A.
Napoleon Donapare, who then at the head of the
French nation, is known to have cherished policy
more adently than that OF building up for France
merce that should rival that of England aud though
fully alive to the importance of Lonisisna means
toward accomplishing this object he did not hesitate in
1903 cede to for the sake OF preserving smcble
relations between the two nations He we'll knew that
every consideration OF justice demanded OF him the
SION and that the pride and obstinacy of rulers ought
not to stand in the way Of the prosperity of large bodies
Of the human He also knew that however solicit
Os this government might be to restrain its citizens from
agessions it not possible for to do under cir
cuInstances we'll calculated to invite them. III Napo
leon had been less statesman and had attempted to
block up the mouth Of the Mississippi it cannot be doubt
ed that long and bloody between France and the
United States would have ensued, and that Louisiana
would have been added to Union at
pense of blood and treasure.
BY the acquisition Of Louisiana became OF the
powers the Gulf Of Mexico and by the subsequent pur
chase of Florida from SPAIN aud the annexation of Tex
49, we have become the paramount power, having the
uugussionabe right to demand that Its waters and
around its borders peace and prosperity shall not be
Interrupted endangered Around il our social and po
Of fifteen States Of the confedeacy No other commerce
worth mentioning il found there except ours, and
have right to regard it, in all matters involving
cauity, an Inland sea. stt
Since the acquisition California passengers and mails
in passing between the Atlantic and Pacific seek point
Transit the continent where it Is than
any point within territorial limits There
three points ut which it may ba conveniently trayersed
each presenting advantage peculiar to itself The
irst OF northey is at the sthmus of Tehuantepec
within the republic of Mexico the second In the terri
tory Of Nicaragua, and the third at the isthmus of Pan
ama in New Granada 1t is important to us that all
these routes should be kept Open the competition be-
tween rival lines could fail to be advantageous to
citizens. But the Tehuantepec route being within the
Gulf of Mexico, hal just right, the predominant
power in the Gulf 70 claim free aud exclusive right OF
way over il citizens mails and property passing
between the lantic and Pacific portions of the Union
The government of Mexico, with clear appreciation
Of its interest and liberal of what
due to u.s. has authorized the construction of railroad
t1,.
1853 guaranteed to the United States the full and
sced right of transit it, with the privilege to
tend It's protection it shall judge wise to it when it
may feel sanctioned and warranted by the public or inter
national law :" and with the further stipulation, 'inor
shall any interest In said transit way in the proceeds
thereof be transferred to any foreign government BY
this liberal and enlightened the part of Mexico
have been enabled to within the Gulf of Mexico
transit route free and ia every respect as adyanta
geous to us ns IL it was within own limits.
BY securing the Tchuantepcc transit right we have d
yeted into the Gulf the coastwise intercourse between the
Atlantic and Pacific and thereby added incidentally to
the large commercial interests already have there
1t will be seen from this brief review that Spain
France Texas aud Mexico have voluntarily placed in
poti0n territorially the Gulf which has made it to
Us almost an inland Having thus voluntarily and
for ample considerations made IFS free use necessity to
US, can they justly withhold any additional concessions
that experience has shown to be indispensable to our
peace and security NJ Ei
II is worthy of remark that Spain has at all times
aagsments with us than any other nation with whom
~e have bsep coermInogs ITS pride seems only to have
evolted against cessos to s and to have presented
obstacle TO cessons to other powers, Louisiana and
Florida time and again transferred and retranserred
between Spain, France, and England, that II is al
most difficult TO trace their history 1t Is to date the
various transfers of personal chattel Yet when Florida
became Indispensable to the security OF the United States
and proposed to purchase it, Spanish pride instantly
evolted. Our government 10 scrupnlousy respects the
territorial rights of neghborng nations and honora-
bly, discharges all the duties of good neighborood, that
lew persons how sorely the patience and for
searanee Of the generation preceding tried by
The obstnacy Of the Spanish rulers in regard to Florida
All Efforts TO purchase having aled Congress in 1911
and 1872, in secret session. passed the following acts,
which not printed and promulgated until after the
lapse of several years
Reothon and acts resiw 70 occupation Of the Fid By he
f Tinted Sates Of Amaiea
Taking into view the peculiar situation of Spain and
her American provinces, and considering the influence
which the destiny Of the territory adjoining the southern
border Of the United Sta may have upon their security
'Eanquillity and commerce therefore
hesaired by he Senate and House of Representatives. of hs
ofed States Of Anaies Congress assembled That the Uni
ed states under the peculiar circumstances Of the exist
ing CRISIS cannot without serious inqnieude see any
part o the said territory pass into the hands any foreign
Swer anq Hmt due regard to their safety compes
fhen 20 Lrdide. ihdsr certain Contingencies for the
temporary odatioho of the sai territory, tbey at the
same time declare that the said terrt6sy shall in their
hands, remain subject to future negotiatlop
Approved January Is, 1911
An act to enable the President OF the United States p
certain contingencies 10 take possession Of the country
Bing cast OF the river rcrdo and sonth OF the State 1
Georgia and the Mississippi Territory and for other
purposes. fer r,FT-T