Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-26
The Rights of Foreigners In the
United S1aIeS of Colombia.

From the Panama Star and Herald, Jan. l2.l
Our readers will recollect that soon after
the above law was given by the Congress
at BOgOta and communicated to the repre-
sentatives of foreign nations, the English
and French Ministers protested against it
as being contrary to international law and
to treaty stipulations. The United States
Minister at that time seemed to accept it,
stating, however, that he would refer the
matter to his Government for decision.--
That decision has been received in Bogota,
and is published in the DiariO Official of
the 9Th of December last. AS was to be ex-
pected, it repudiates those provisions In
which an individual legislative body un-
dertoOk to establish rules contrary to the
principles of international law and the
articles of an international treaty which,
of course, are always superior to local leg
islatiOn:
LEGATION OF THE U. S. OF AMERICAN
BOGOTA, November %, 1865.
The undersigned having, in accordance
with what he indicated in his note of the
26th of last April, seat to his Government a
copy of the law Of the Colombian Congress,
which was issued on the 10Th of April, of
1866, aud meant to effect the civil rights of
foreigners in this Republic, together with
the correspondence respecting the same,
which was exchanged between the Depart
ment of Home and Foreign Relations, or
the Colombian Union and this Legation,
the President of the United States of Amer
lea, after having given to the law all con-
sideratiOn which its Importance demands,
is OF opinion that some of the provisions of
the same are in conflict with international
law and further, in opposition to the treat
les existing between Colombia and the
United States, and Notwithstanding the
special article which reserves to existing
treaties their due force, the law in its prin-
cipal parts is considered as superrogatory,
with manifest tendency to cause coniu-
sion, and perhaps conflicts.
Consequently the undersigned has re-
ceived orders from his Governmental rep
resent to that of Colombia that the United
States of America cannot consider this new
law as having any force or obligation which
affects their citizens, In any case when said
law may contravene to the existing treat
| les or international law.
The undersigned, obeying the imperious
demand of that frank aightforwardness
which always ought to characterize the in
tercourse between friendly nations, holds
it to be his duty to represent to the Colom-
bian Government besides, that the Govern
| ment of the United States of America finds
itself obliged to retain the hope that the
| citizens of either of the two republics,
within the territories that are subject to
the jurisdiction of the other, be they pass
ing through or residing in it, are respec-
lively entitled to a real, effective, and
prompt reparation for all injuries done
there to their rights in cOntraventioD of the
stipulations ofthe existing treaties between
the two countries, or of modern interna-
tional usages; and as the Government of the
United States acknowledges its just obliga-
ton to make such reparation to Colombian
citizens, whenever such injuries should un-
eXpectedly be done to them, In the same
manner it hopes, and will insist upon, tina t
equal justice be done to its own citizens,
when their rights have been or may be SO
violated.
AS the correspondence which formerly
had taken place about this matter between
the department of your EXcellency and
this Legation, has been made public, it be-
hooves the Government of your EXcellen-
| cy to decide, if the interests of their respec-
tive countries will be served by givingpub-
| licity to the present note. .
The undersigned avails himself of this
occasion to renew to your EXcellency the
assurances Of his distinguished considera-
| tion. ALLEN A. BURTON.
To his Excellency Sr. Santiago Perez
| Secretary OF Home and Foreign Rela-
tions, Sc, &c.