Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-01-03
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE WITH
THE NICARAGUA TREATY.
A Proposed Canal, Which IL Com
pIeted Will be of Enormous
Benefit to the Trading
Nations of the
World.

l
| World.
Following is the presidents message
sent to the senate with the Nicaraguan
treaty:
| To THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
STATES: transmit herewith to the
senate for consideration, with view
of ratification, the treaty signed on the
first of December with the republic of
| Nicaragua providing for the censtruc-
ton of an inter-ocean canal across the
territory of that state. The negOtia-
ton OF this treaty was entered upon
lively demanded by the present and
future political aud material interests
Of the United States. The establish
ment of a water communication be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific at the
cost Of the union is necessity, the &C
complishment of which, however with
in the territory of the United States Is
4 PHYSICAL IHPossIBILrTY. -
While the enterprise of our citizens
has responded to the duty OF creating
the means of speedy transit by rail be-
tween the two oceans, these great
achievements are inadequate to the
| supply of the most important requisite
of national union and prosperity. For
all maritime purposes the states upon
the Pacific are more distant from those
upon the Atlantic than if separated by
either ocean alone. Europe and Africa
are nearer New York land Asia is near
er to California, than are those two
great states to each other by sea. Weeks
OF steam voyages, or months under sail,
are consumed in passage around Cape
Horn, with the disadvantage of travers-
ing tempestuous waters, or risking the
navigation of the Straits of Magellan.
A nation like ours cannot rest satisfied
with such G separation of its mutually
independent members. We possess an
ocean border of considerably over 10,-
600 miles on the Atlantic and Gulf OF
Mexico, and, including Alaska. OF
some 10000 miles on the Pacific. " ith.
in this generation the western coast has
developed into all empire with large
and rapidly growing population.
j With vast but partially developed re-
sources and at the present rate and in
crease the end of the century will see
us commonwealth of perhaps nearly
hundred million inhabitants, of which
the west should have a considerably
larger and richer proportion than now
The president briefly adserts to the
facts of the efforts by means of surveys
to find practicable route for the ship
canal across the Isthmus between the
two oceans, all of which with a single
exception have resulted in the discovery
of insuperable obstacles to the building
of a profitable inter oceanic canal.
THE PROPOSED TREATY
provides for such canal through the
friendly territory of Nicaragua. HI
invites special attention to the provis-
ions of the treaty itself, as best show
ing its scope, and confines as follows
sovereignty of the republic through
whose cooperation the project alone
can be realized, the stipulations of th'
treaty look to the fullest recognition
and protection of Nicaragaau rightl
in the premises. The United States
have no motive or desire for territora
acquisition or political control beyond
their present borders, and none such i
contemplated by the treaty. Tho two
governments unite in forming thi.
scheme as the sole means bv which the
work. az Indispensable to one as thu
other, can be accomp ished under suci
circumstances as to prevent the posi-
bility of a conflict between them, an(
of interference from without.
The canal primarily is dOmesti,
means of water communications be
tween the Atlantic and Pacific shore
of the two countries which unite for it.
construction, one contributing terrific
: ry and the other furnishing the money
Recognizing the advantages which th,
; worlds commerce must derive from
the work, and appreciating the benefi
of all enlarged use to the canal itself b,
contributing to its maintenance and b,
yielding all interest return on the capi
tai invested therein, and inspired b,
the belief that any great enterprise
which innres to the general benefit o
the world is i'll some sort trust for tn
COMMON ADVANCEMENT OF MANKIND,
the two governments have by thei
treaty provided for its possible use b,
: all nations on equal terms. while re
serving to the coasting trade of bot
countries, in which none but the con
, tracing parties are interested, ,privi eg
tavoring tolls. The terms of the treat
as to the protection of the canal, Will
scrupulously conserving the sovereign
8 ty OF Nicaragua amply secure that Q
the state and work itself for possibl
contingencies of the future, which ma
not be within the power OF Nicaragu
to meet. From a purely commercis
point of view the completion of such
e water way opens the most favorabl
r prospect for the future of our country
Nations of the Pacific coast of Sout
: America will by its means be brougt
o into closer connection with the gu
states
The relation of those American cour
tries to the United States is that of
natural market from which the wan
OF direct communication hitherto hs
practically excluded us. By piercin
the lsthmus, heretofore insuperable OF
stacles of time. sea and distance dis
appear and our vessels and prod :clioil
will enter upon the worlds competi
tive field with q decided advantage c
which they will avail themselves. Whe
to this is Joined a large coasting trad
between the Atlantic and Pacific states
which nu-t necessarily spring up.
is evident this canal affords even alon
sufficient means of restoring our flag I
It's former place OH the sea-. Su"h do
mestic coasting trade would arise in
mediately, for even the fishing vesse
of both seaboards which will now b
idle in winter months could then prof
tably carry goods between the easter
and western states.
The political effect of the canal wi
be to unite closer the states now d,
pending on railway corporations for q
commercial and personal intercourl
and not only cheaper cost of tran
portation but
WILL FREE INDIVIDUALS
from the possibility of unjust di.crim
nations and will bring the Europes
grain markets demand within easy di
tance ofcurPacific markets and wilgi,
the manufacturers on the Atlantic Sc,
board economical access to the cities
China, thus breaking down the barri
which separates the principal manufa
turing centres OF the United Stat
from the markets OF the vast popul,
ton OF Asia, and placing the easter
states OF the Union for all purposes
trade midway between r.urope al
Asia In poiut nt timn tbo ,,o;,, .,