The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-01
~ IMERICiN Ci>iL'
A Eepl, to the Demand for British Part


From York, Pa. Hon. Chaunoey
Black writes 70 the Manufacturer Rec
ord as follows:
beg to acknowledge yours of the I'd.
enclosing London despatch or the INST
containing extracts from an article IN the
II. lanes Gazette, discussing what X de-
scribes as a crisis" in the relations De
tween the United States ana Great BTU
ain. arising out of the proposition 10 cut
The Nicaragua Canal as an American
enterprise
4 cannot imagine that my views upon
the subject can be regarded as OIL any
inheritance By your readers, but since
vou ask for them | cheertully give them.
II there ever was any crisis, or any
occasion for one. II has passed lohS aeO'
The British government mas seen the
growth OF irresistible public sentiment II
this country In favor Of the eanai as an
exclusively American affair. Ii mas seen
Congress establish purely American
corporation TO undertake u. 1t mas seen
bin after bill brought into Congress 10
lend 10 il the credit of the United states.
IL has seen our government aHthofi1e
surveys. appoint commissions and take
other steps looking necessarily to the
exclusive control of the canal whlch
were notorious throughout the woriD,
were uncOucealed and open and couid
not be misinterpreted. To none or any
of these has she offered any objection
or entered any protest. she II, theie-
fore bv every principle OF equity ana
| every canon OF honest diplomacy preclud-
/ 90 from objection or protest now ena1
| after these many years the American
mind has become resolved, the Ahe'-
] can government largely commit "a A"l r.
/ lean cal ital extensively expended anu .ne
work Is. one way or another, either WIN
/ or without government credit, about TO
/ be out under way. II Is Impossible that
the article i'm the st. James Gazette can
| have had any official inspiration. or that
il reflects "A view likely 10 be entertained
/ by the present or any future EnShsh
! ministry A rude insistance 10y THAT
! government upon an equal parueipa-
ton with the United states in the hene-
fits, military and commercial of this
| purely American canal would produce
"a very serious and dangerous situation
/ situation injurious % both countries
! and threatening 20 the best interests OF
| the civilized world.
The Clayton-Buiwcr treaty is a dead
| instrument 1T was never fairly alive.
IL was negotiated by wing admini5;ra-
| ton, and was regarded from the irst
as a foolish and lndelensible surrender
Of American interests. ~ has been con-
,iuuously condemned and disregarded by
both parties to IT, The English have
paid no attention TO il when they choose
~ COLOMBO i'm violation of its provisions,
or otherwise to set IL aside, From the
day il was signed go this hour II has
bound nobody and affected nothing
Neither the United states nor Nicara-
| qua nor Costa Ricd nor any other party
! private OF public, hav.nE any real con-
Germ I'm the Nicaragua Canal has ever
considered the ClaytOn-Bulwer treaty
one way or the other. II Great Britain
had understood herself "a being en-
utled in virtue of this originally life
less aud now obsolete treaty 10 demand
am equal participation with us I'm the
canal her time 10 say so was when the
first of the several treaties was nego
tiated with Nicaragua and Costa Rica
or. al furthest when the United state:
! irCOrp0rdted an American company e
build it, entertained IN Congress a pro
petition TO endorse the bonds OF the com
paIy. passed such bill by an over
whelming majority In the Senate. an'
ITALY sent a government commission L
determine the feasibility of the route
with the manifest intention OF yieldins
% the almost unanimous public senti
ment OF the country aud putting TN
work under immediate construction.
That we are under no restraint what
ever from the Clayton-Bulwer treat.
has been the consistent view of tn
American government from first TO last
From buchanan. Cass and Marcy 4
Freylmghuysen and Blaine the stat
Department has held an even course
No party i'm the United States coul
Weld this position to any pressure OF an
Kind from Great Britain TO avoid
crisis" or even war without an ute
sacrifice of its claims TO popular con
ndence Great Britain can have no shar
with us I'm this American canal. IL ]
hardly supposable that she would eve
ask IT, a half century has passed sine
that absurd treaty was signed. which,
! interpreted and enforced as suggested D.
the st. James Gazette. would bind tn
arms of the great American republic D
some of the most vital concerns OF th
Western hemisphere. Not only the con
ditiqns prevailing i'm this country an
iu the whole Western world. but IN "a
the world besides. have changed durin
| that time Then comparatively Wea
agricultural people, we could hardly D
said to Dee competing with the Ensls
! with manufactures OF any sort IN Oh
South American markets, or prepare
10 meet them even with the eXciusis
r. facilities of this canal In the markets
the Orient. Since then We have becom
their great rivals. Our manufactures d'
maud new markets. and as recent even
have amply shown. not only the sou'
! and Central Americas, but sometmi
ike a thousand millions Of Asiatics,
s whom We can 30 most conyiently
y this route, are waiting TO trade with I
j ar with the English, as circumstance
? may determine. We have. therefore.
!. right 10 insist that tLi- Amerlci
3 canal shall be under American contr
p that of tile United States. Nicaragt
[ and Costa Rica-and that while We q
y not propose the barbarity of exciudi
% the peaceful commerce Of any nation,
O. do propose that there shall be no 20
e. sibility of any European nation eNcludit
= ours.
p But the military view Of the matte
s Is even more impressive. Since the sig
a ing OF the treaty our Pacific States ha'
% crown into an empire, threatened on
p. Lv the naval and military ornaments
j. that country which, according 10 q
r. St James Gazette insists upon an ecu
e. possession with us in this America
p Canal. with the canal the efficiency
. our fleets. passing rapidly between u
TWO oceans, would be more tnan doubl
D.. as against the fleets Of any Oth
~ rower. Shall We share this adyantai
~ with Great Britain. whose naval al
l. military posts bristle In peculiar me
"a ace TO us in the Caribbean sea, alOl
: the Canadian frontier and on the Nor
q, ! Pacific? In this view Of me case SiOl
+ IL seems TO me that no expenditure
- money would be too great for the Amcl