Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-08

have made no new nomination and the |
are now in the care of the secretary of
the legation, as charge ge-de-affairs ad
interim.
CENTRAL AMERICAN TROUBLES.
Early IN March last war broke out in
Central America, caused by
the attempt of Guatemala to-
consolidate the several states
into single government. In these con.
tests between our neighboung states the
United States forbore to interfere
actively but lent the aid of their friendly
offices in depreciation of war and to
promote peace and concord among the
belligerents, and by such counsel con-
tributed Importantly to the restoration
of tranquility in that locality.
Emergencies growing out OF the civil
war in the United States of Columbia
demanded cf the government at the
beginning of this administration the
employment of an armed force to fulfill
its guarantees under the thirty-fifth
article of the treaty of 1S4s. in order to
keep the transit open across the
| isthmus of Panama. Desirous
of exercising only the powers expressly
reserved to us by the treaty, and mind
fnl of the rights of Columbia, the forces
sent to tEa Isthmus we're instructed to
contine their action to positively and efii-
caciously preventing the transit and its
accessories from being interrupted or
embarrassed. The execution of the
delicate and responsible task necessarily
envolved police control where local au-
thority was temporarily powerless, but
| al ,f ha rf
Columbia. The prompt and successful
fulfllment OF its duty by this govern
mept was highly appreciated by the
government OF Columbia and has been
followed by an expression of it's satis-
faction and high praise to the officers
and men engaged in this service. The
restoration of peace on the isthmus, by
the establishment of the constituted
government there, being thus accom-
plished, the forces of the United States
were withdrawn.
Pending these occurrences, question
of much Importance was presented by
DEGREES of the Columbian government,
proclaimipg the closing of certain ports
then in the hands of the insurgents and
declaring vessels held by the revolution
lists to be piratical and liable to
capture by any power. 10 Meth.
er of these propositions could the
United States assent. An effective
closure Of ports not in the possession o
the government, but held by the hostile
partisans. could not be recognized
!, Neither could the vessels of the insur
gents against legitimate sovereignty be
deemed h0stis hun.d7ei genegas within The
precepts of international law, whatevel
might be the definition and penalty o
> their acts under the municipal law o.
the state against whose authority the,
. were IN revolt. The denial b,
this government of the Columbian
propositions did not, however, imply th,
admission of belligerent status on tn,
3 part OF the insurgents. The Columbia
= government has expressed it's willing
ness for negotiation conventions for tn
adjustment by arbitration of the claim
by foreign citizens arising out of tb
: destruction of the city of Aspinwall b,
| the insurrectionary forces.
THE IsTHMUS CANAL.
!, The interest of the United State
1 in practicable transit for ships acros
+ the strip of land separating the Atlanti
q from the Pacific has been repeatedl
a manifested during last half century
My immediate predecessor caused to b
negotiated with Nicaragua treaty TO
a the construction of, and at the sole cos
+ of the United States, canal throuRl
a Nicaragua territory and laid it befor
!. the senate. Pending action by tina
! body thereon, 1 withdrew the treaty 70
; re-examinatlon. Attentive consideration
a of its provisions leads me to withhold
! from re-submisslon to the senate.
o Maintaining, as do, the action OF te
/ of line of presidents from Washing
:, toms day, which proscribes enlargement
q entailing alliances with foreign states
1 l do not favor policy of acquisition {
OF new and distant territory or the in
y corporation of remote interests wit
a ours. The laws of progress are vital an
organic and we mast be- conscious o
that irresistible tide of commercial el
panslon, as the concomital {
e our civilization, day by day is being
Il urged onward by those increasing facili
,. ties OF production. transportation
# and communication to which steam ant
: electricity has given birth. Our duty j
:, the present instructs us to address oul
a selves mainly to the development of tn
/ vast resources of the great area commits
q ted to our charge and the cultivation {
!. the arts of peace within our boundarie
b though zealously preventing th
!. American hemisphere from being ir
f. volved in the political problems an
,. complications of distant government
Therefore / am unable to recommen
any proposition involving paramour
privileges of ownership or right outsid
= our own territory, when coupled wit
= absolute and unlimited engagements
q defend the territorial integrity wher
= such interests lie.
While the general project of connec
), ing the two oceans by canal is to
L encouraged, am of the opinion that an
. scheme to that end, to be considere
- with favor, should be free from the fe,
=. - lures alluded to in the Tehuantepl
~ route.
81 This ronte is declared by engineers
,e the highest repute and by competeI
IL scientists to afford an entirely practic
Bile route for vessels and calgoes /
means of ship railway from the Atlant
H. to the Pacific. The obvious advantag,
,g of such route, if feasible, over other
es more from the axial lines Of trs
u fic between Europe and the z
a. cifio and, particularly between Il
I'd valleys of the Mississip
be and the western coast Of North 81
ry South America, are deserving of consi
,e Grafton. Whatever highway may be co
"a structed across the barrier dividing Il
ty two greatest maritime areas of the wor
y must be for the worlds beneft-a tru
lie, tor mankind to be removed from tl
IN. chance of denunciation by any sing
as power, nor become point of inyitatlt
a of hostilit1es or prize for warllke ami
ne tion. Engagements combining the CO