The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-21
Presentation of q Foreign Minister
to the President.

W
The following Ia the speech Of General Don
Santos Acosta to the President, he having on
Saturday been introduced to the latter by the
Secretary of state:
have the honor TO place In your Excel
lenoy's hands my credentials as Envoy Extra
ordinary and Minister Plcnipotentinry from
the United states OF Colombia TO the Cabinet
at Washington,
One of the most important and to inc the
most pleasant of the duties OF my mission, IL
to strengthen the tics OF friendship uniting
tho two countries. That cordial and sincere
friendship, founded in justice and community
of interests and aspiration will strengthen
with time. Colombia accepted the United
States of America rs n model from the first.
Her history and the names OF her great pa;
triots are with US as household words, and
now that events have given to the country OF
Washington and Lincoln, the right TO appear
| before the world as the legitimate and Veto
| rious champion OF republican principles which
| are secure nj last, our friendship has acquired
n sincere aud respectful admiration. On her
| part Colombia offers today fertile field OF
| conquest for the AngloAmerican race, by
means of industry and commerce an important
| influence and u market unsurpassed.
In expressing to your Excellcncy the high
| regard we Cntertaip for the United States,
| consider 1t my grateful duty to add that your
| illustriOus and lAmcnted predecessor greatly
| Increased our respect and sympathy Tor your
starry banner, by his benevolent just, and
kind policy towards us, and am delighted TO
say we have found like courtcby from your
| administration.
lar pleasure in maniicstiug to the represent.
| stiyc OF the United States In BogOta the lively
| friendship and sympathy felt for your great
y nation by the Government of the nation over
| which had the honor to presidci and 1t Is u
| great satisfaction to me now to repeat those CA
prcssions to your EXcellcncy in person. Allow
inc to add the most iCrvCnt wishes that this
great nation may finally triumph In Its gigantic
efforts, at incaiculablc cost, to heal the wounds
OF civil war, and thus practically demonstrate
the inCNhAustlble resources OF the Republic.
In conc fusion ] beg your Excellency TO ac-
cCpt my best wishes for your personal pros
perity, and my hopes that the legation with
the esteem and sympathy Of the American
Goycrnmcut and people. / have spoken.
/, The President replied ~ follows
III the name of the Government and people
OF the United States, give you u cordial well
come. II would he aiicctaiiOn to doubt tho
sincerity Of that friendship towards the Gni-
ted states which you have expressed in DO
hall OF your Government and people. Your
predecessor, Dr. MurilO, waU called from your
Legation here TO the Presidency OF the United
states Of CulOmbin. Your predecessor, Gen.
MOsquCTa, hOuOrCd our capital by \ visit when
, returning from Europe TO assume the rcspOn.
slbilitics of administration. You, General
Acosta, having retired from the Presidential
office, are sent by your Government to be Its
representative In the United States Of Amer
lea. trust, that Mt last, 1t has been made TO
appear clearly to all men that the United
/, states do not cOvCt the abortion, conquest or
protuctoratc OF the Spanish American Repub.
lcR, or Of any one OF them. Indeed, to do so,
would he to distrust, II not to betrny the cause
OF republicaniBm itself, by which cause, and
, for which cause, we ourselves live. On the
contrary, the United States in the interest OF
= civilization and OF the progress OF Republican
D principlcG throughout the whole American
e continent, sincerely and earnestly desire that
each Of those Republics shall remain soycr
cign, independent, aud frCCi and that each may
: rapidly dcyclopc the great resources with
, which 1t Is blessed.
General Aeostn, rroyidenGoi hns beer
! public. While 1t is rich In Its resources, II
II also contains an isthmuB only thiIty-iour
. miles wide and four hundred feet high, across
which ship canal can be made Ia connect tive
E oceans, and 20 to control and ultimately trans
: form the commerce Of the world.
To rHnGrMGiHl o6ssTyGIS' It may seem m
herring profoundly, unmindlul that she haS Il
8 her hand this important key, with power e
t throw the gates OF the Eat wide open to th'
got that your government has actually mani
{ tested great spirit aud cnterpriso In pcImittin'
3 aud encouraging citizens Of the United state
n 10 partially anticipate that full and final work
hy constructing railroad across the isthmu
OF Panama. hope, however, that you
IA Panama railroad has proved altogether made
quate to the good purposes OF ihtcroceAni
passage, md that the United States are there
= fore supplcmentiHg that enterprise, by con
G. structing railroad directly through thci
own territory, from New York To san Fran
cisco.
v hope that your stay among us may be pro
Is lpugCd at least two years. In that case yOI
At may expect to see this second thOrOughfare he
tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans finished
" and in full operation.
u General, you may improve that residenc
among US no rs to deserve and secure no
merely the high appreciation of your country
men, but the applause aud gratitude OF al
'' mankind, by convincing the Government o
Ia Colombia that If 1t shall only extend full lcav
N md protection, with reasonable encourage
- mcnt, to citizens OF the United States, the!
u viii, ia period hardly longer than | havt
Ia mentioned, construct and complete the long
4 desired ship canal across the isthmus OF Dan
Cnj work which, 1t may reasonably be OK
pcUtCd, will permanently raise the Colombian
II Rcpublic to high rank among the nations
z Please say this for me, General, to the Pres
ilcut, Congress, statesmen, and people of Go
=, lOmbia, and tell them that Japan, China, In
u dR, and the whole Est are needing that CON
A. muniCatiOn not less than the Western nation
l. are earnestly desiring its achievement
PR TNC",S