The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-12-18
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
70 Che Congress of The United States.

hour assembling is clouded by a sense of
public bereavement, caused by the recent md
sudden death of Thomas A. Hendricks, Vice
president of the United States. His dis
tnguished public services, his complete integ-
rity and devotion to every duty, and his per-
sonal virtues will find honorable record in his
country's history.
Ample and repeated proofs of the esteem
and confidence in which he was held bv his
fellow-countrymen were manifested by his
election to offices of the most important trust
and highest dignity; and at length, full of
years and honors, he has been laid at rest
amid universal sorrow and benediction.
The constitution which requires those
chosen to legislate for the people to annually
meet in the discharge of their solemn trust
also requires the President to give to Con
gress information Of the state of the Union
and recommend to their consideration such
measures as he shall deem necessary and ex-
pedient. At the threshold Of a compliance
with these constitutional directions. IL is we'll
for us to bear in mind that our usefulness To
the peoples interests will be promoted by a
constant appreciation Of the scope and char
acter OF our respective duties as they relate
to Federal legislation While the Executive
may recommend such measures as he shall
deem expedient, the responsibility for legisla-
1--WE action must and should rest upon those
selected by the people to make their laws.
Contemplation of the grave and responsible
functions assigned to the respective branches
OF the government under the Constitution
Will disclose the partitions of power between
our respective departments and their neces-
sary independence, and also the need for the
exercise of all the power intrusted to each in
that spirit of comfy and cooperation which
Is essential to the proper fulfilment of the M
trlotlc Obligations which rest upon MS as
faithful servants of the people. The iealous
WatchfulneSs OF our constituencies, great and
small, supplements their suffrages, and be-
fore the tribunal they establish every NH
lie servant should be judged.
IL Is gratifying to announce that the rela-
tons OF the United States with all foreign
powers continue to be friendly Our position
aiter nearly century of successful constitu-
tional government, maintenance of good faith
m all our engagements, the avoidance of com
plications with other nations. and our consist
ent and amlcable attitude toward the strong
ana weak alike, furnish proof of n Doliticai
disposition which renders professions of GOOD
Will unnecessary. There are no questions of
difficulty pending with any foreign govern
ment.
THE OUTBREAK AT PANAMA
Early in March last war broke ont in Gem
tral America, caused by the attempt of Guate-
mala to consolidate the several States into n
single government. In these contests he
tween our neighboring states the United
states forbore to Interfere actively. but lent
tne aid OF their friendly offices in deprecation
OF war ana TO promote peace and concord
among the belligerents, and by such counsel
contributed importantly to the restoration of
tranquility in that locality.
Emergencies growing out of civil war in
the United States of Colombia demanded of
the government at the beginning of this ad-
mlnlstration the employment of armed force
TO tulfl It's guarantees under the thirty-fifth
article of the treaty of 1916, in order TO keen
the transit open across the Isthmus of Pana-
ma. DESTROYS of exercising only the powers
expressly reserved to us by the treaty, and
mindful of the rights of Colombia, the forces
sent to the lsthmus were instructed to confine
their action to positively and efficaciouslvn
preventing the transit and its accessories
from being interrupted or embarrassed
The execution of this delicate and response
BILE task necessarily involved police control
where the local authority was temporarily
powerless, but always in aid of the sovereignty
OF Colombia The prompt and successful full
1ilment of its duty by this government was
highly appreciated by the government of Co
lombia and has been followed by expressions
OF its satisfaction, High praise is due to the
onicers and men engaged in this service. The
restoration of peace on the isthmus by the re-
establishment of the constituted government
there being accomplished, the forces of the
United States were withdrawn.
fendlng these occurrences q question of
much Importance was presented by DEGREES of
tne colombian government, proclaiming the
closure OF certain ports then in the hands of
the insurgents, and declaring vessels held by
the revolutionists to be piratical and liable to
capture by any power To neither of these
propositions could the United States assent
An effective closure of ports not in the pos
session or the government, but held by hos
tile partisans, could not be recognized /,
neither could the vessels of insurgents
against the legitimate sovereignty be
deemed hostes humani generis within the pre-
cepts of international law, whatever might
be the definition and penalty of their acts
under the municipal law of the State against
whose authority they were in revolt. The
denial by this government of the Colombian
propositions did not, however, imply the ad-
mission of a bellgerent status on the part of
the insurgents. The Colombian government
has expressed its willingness TO negotiate con
Ventlons for the adjustment by arbitration of
claims by foreign citizens arising out of the
destruction of the city of Aspinwall by the
insurrectionary forces,
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
The interest of the United States in prac-
tical transit for ships across the strip of land
separating the Atlantic from the Pacific
has been repeatedly manifested during the
last half century. My immediate predecessor
caused to be negotiated with Nicaragua Il
treaty for the construction, by and at the sole
cost of the United States, of canal through
Nicaragllan territory, and laid il before the
Senate. Pending the action of that body
thereon, / withdrew the treaty for re-exan-
ination. Attentive consideration of its pro-
visions leads me to withhold'it from re-sub-
mission to the Senate
Maintaining, as ! do. the tenets of line of
precedents from Washington's day, which
prescribe entangling alliances with foreign
states, do not favor policy Of acquisition
of new and distant territory, or the m"0r-
poration of remote interests with our own,
The laws of progress are vital and organic,
and we must be conscious of that Irresistible
tide of commercial expansion which, as the
concomitant of our active civilization, day
by day is being urged onward 10y those in
creasing facilities of production, transporta-
ton, and communication to which steam aud
electricity have given birth; but our duty in
the present inStructs us to address ourselves
mainly to the development Of the
vast resources of the great area committed
TO our charge and to the cultivation Of the
arts of peace within our borders though
jealousy alert in preventing the American
hemisphere from being involved in the po.iti-
cal problems and complications Of distant
oovornu,ants Thprafora I nm uuqblp TO 10