Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17

relations with New Granada, and, taking for its
text despatch addressed by that Minister to Mr.
Adams on the 18th July last, arraigns him with
charge of inconsistency, the specification being,
that, while Mr.. Seward was striving with " the
utmost rhetorical force" to resist "intervention
on the part of France and England in our own
affairs, he volunteered to unite with them in in
teryeniDg by force in the affairs of friendly
neighboring Republic"
Our contemporary considerably brings forward
the evidence, that all q may have the means Of
judging for themselves" proceeding to quote at
length the despatch to Mr.. Adams referred to.
There need be no commentary upon the fact that
the Secretary Of State has "argued ably and elo
quontly against [the justice propriety and utility"
OF either intervention or mediation by foreign
Powers in our domestic troubles What Mr.
Seward has written upon that topic has found
SO hearty and thrilling response from the heart
OF every loyal man in the land that it needed not
the painstaking reference to volume and page of
printed documents with which the Post favors us
to prove the allegation.
Let us look, then, into his instruction to Mr.
Adams to find in what respect his conduct towards
New Granada partakes of the spirit of inconsis
tency.
The Secretary opens his communication by
quoting ono of the stpulations of the treaty of
1916 between New Granada and the United States,
which is in these words
And in order secure to themselves the TRANQUIL and
constant enjoyment Of these advantages aud especial
compensation FOR the said ADVANTAGES and for the avors
they have acquired by the fourth fifth and sixth articles
of this treaty the United States guaranty positively and
ricacousy TO New Granada, by the present stipulation
the perfect neutrality of The before mentioned isthmus
with the view that the free transit from the one the
other may not be interrupted embarrassed any
future time while this treaty exists and in consequence
the United States also guaranty in the manner the
rights of sovereignty and property which New Granada
has and possesses the said territory"
The Secretary then says, substantially, that
Gen. Herran, who for many years has represented
New Granada in the United States, has given in
formation that revolutionary chief had sent an
armed force to occupy the Isthmus of Panama,
against the protest of the Governor of that pro-
vince, and has "therefore invoked the interpositon
of this Government, in accordance with the treaty
obligation above set forth
But Gen. Herran may have had motives for
such representation. The Secretary does not
rely only upon the apprehensions of that gentle
man, but adds that he has /" simultaneously" re.
ceived the same information from our own Consul
at Panama. Were these intimations to pass unre-
garded What if they had been, and the railroad
had been interrupted, would tie President have
been acquitted?
There surely was ground for anxiety concerning
the peace of the Isthmus of Panama, involving
the lives of hundreds of American citizens, the
safety of millions of American treasure, and Anne
rican investments in that great international work
the Panama Railroad
The terrible riot which occurred at Panama in
April, 1856, resulting in the murder of many of
the passengers in transit, and the indscriminate
plunder of their baggage by degraded and vicious
native mob is too fresh in our recollection to require
additional proof of the disasters which might re-
suit not to interests alone, but to those of the
commercial world, if from any cause turbulent
population on the isthmus should be excited to
take part in the revolution which was devastating
the other provinces of the State SO far as to seize
or even disturb the railroad. We cannot conceive
of threatened condition of affairs more urgently
demanding from our Government serious but pru-
dent consideration
For all ordinary purposes the naval f5rce which
since the opening of the Panama Railroad our
Government has kept at the termin of that route
would have been sufficient guaranty Of safety
Here was said to be imminent an extraordinary
contingency which might demand extraordinary
precautions. But it was case involving equally
the interests Of other maritime Powers
The Secretary Of State did not advise 10 inter-
vene, as General Herran proposed, but he wisely
and CONSIDERABLY, think, consulted two other
great commercial Powers, Great Britain and France.
before deciding upon the proposition of General
Herran. Their commerce with the Pacific equally
with ours, demanded the uninterrupted quiet Of the
isthmus; their naval vessels with ours are gener-
ally ahoat at the terminal towns Of Panama and
Aspinwall, aud perfect accord between the three
Powers was absolutely essential to prevent mis-
understandings, jcalouses, and rivalries between
their respective officers, which might lead to mis-
chief among themselves.
We have looked in vain through the despatch of
Mr. Seward to Mr.. Adams, as well as through that
Of Mr. Dayton reproduced in the article Of the Post,
m 6n1 tho eliohtoo+ H., - Al a