Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-03-10

The VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT ON THE
CANAL QUEsTIoN.-The president Monday
sent the following to the Senate:
81 transmit herewith the report of the
secretary of state and accompanying pa
pers, in response to q resolution adopted
by the Senate on the 18th of February,
last, requesting that copies of all the cor
|respondence between this government and
any foreign government since February,
1869, respecting ship canal across the
isthmuS between North and South Ameri-
ca, together with the copies of any project
or treaties respecting the same, which the
department of state may have proposed
or submitted since that date to any foreign
power or its diplomatic representatives.
In further compliance with the resolution
Of the Senate, deem it proper to state
carefully my opinion rs to the policy OF
the United States in respect to the con
struction of an inter-oceanic canal by any
route across the American isthmus. The
policy OF this country is q canal under
American control. The United States
| cannot consent to surrender the control to
any European power, or to any combina-
| treaties between the United States and
other nation, or if the rights of sovereignty
or property of other nations stand in the
way Of this policy,-a contingency which
| is not pprehended, suitable steps should
be taken by just and liberal negotiations
to promote the establishment of an Amer
lean policy on this subject consistently
with the rights of other nations to be af-
fected by it. Capital invested by corpora
| tons or citizens of other countries in such
an enterprise must in a great degree look
| for protection to one OF more of the great
powers of the world. No European power
can intervene for such protection without
adopting measures on this continent which
the United States would deem wholly
Iinadmissible. If the protection of the
United States is relied upon, the United
States must exercise such control as will
enable this country to protect its national
interests and maintain the rights of those
whose private capital is embarked in this
work. An inter-oceanic canal across the
American isthmus will essentially change
the geographical relations of the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts of the United States
and between the United States and the
rest of the world. 1t will be great ocean
thoroughfare between our Atlantic and
Pacific shores and virtually part of the
coast line of the United States. Our merely
commercial interest in it is greater than
that of all other countries, while its rela.
tons to our power and prosperity as 9
nation, to our means of defence, our unity
peace and safety, are matters of para
mount consideration to the people of the
United States. No other great power
would under similar circumstances fail to
assert q rightful control over work SC
closely and vitality affecting its interest
and welfare. Without urging further
grounds of my opinion, l repeat, in con-
clusion, it is the right and duty of the
United States to assert and maintain such
supervision and authority over any inter-
oceanic canal across the isthmus that con-
meets North and South America, as will
protect our national interests This, / am
quite sruo. will be found not only compat-
ible with but promotive of the widest and
most permanent advantage 10 commerce
and civilization.
(SignedD RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.