The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10

or instructions from tnls bONeIhuieht,
that the President had no knowledge oil ITS
existence or of the intention to form 1t,
until it was presented 10 him by Mr.. Heis.
our late Charge d'Affaires to Guatemala,
about the 1st of September last, and that
consequently we are not bound to ratlfy
it and win take no step for that purpose
il we can by arrangement with the BRUSH
Government place our interests upon a
Just and satisfactory foundation.
But if our efforts to this end should be
abortive the President will not hesitate to
submit this or some other treaty. which
may be concluded by the present Charge
d'Affaires to Guatemala. to the Senate OF
the United States for their advice and
consent with a view to its ratification,
and If that enlightened body shall approve
II he also will give it his hearty sanction
and will exert all his constitutional power
to execute its provisions in good faith a
determination in which he may confidently
count on the good will of the people OF
the United States"
The report then continues: This paper
was submitted to the British Government.
1t was an explicit and peremptory demand
for an agreement that would give to Mica
ragua the freedom of exit to the sea
through the San Juan River for ship
canal that should be open to all nations on
equal terms and protected by an agree
ment of perfect neutrality.
I'm the origin OF our claim to the right
OF way for our people and our produce.
armies. mails, and other property through
a canal which our citizens had contract
ed with Nicaragua to build, We offered to
dedicate the canal to the equal use of
mankind We offered to make 1t neutral
ground and denied to our Government the
exclusive right to use and control II.
I'VE went further and, with treaty in
our hands in which Nicaragua had granted
us exclusive rights and powers for build
ing and owning a canal. we refused to rat
ify it. but laid ii before Great Britain
as an argument to induce that Govern
ment to withdraw her protectorate over
the Mosquito Indians. who claimed to hold
the mouth Of the San Juan de Nicaragua
in lawful ansi independent sovereignty un-
der the protection of Great Britain.
"As 20 neutrality as the exclusive control
of the canal and its dedication TO universal
use the suggestions that were Incorporated
In the Clayton Bulwer Treaty came from
the United States. and were concurred in
by Great Britain. In no instance has 'ha
Government of the United States intimatcd
an objection to this treaty on account OF
the features of neutrality, and its equal
and impartial use by all other nations.
Nor has this Government ever proposed
to Great Britain to cancel, amend, or an
null the entire treaty. or any separate part
of it, until the present negotiation, winch
resulted in the convention now before the
committee for consideration.
The Cnss Declaration.
''The earliest declaration against the ex-
elusive military control of an isthmian ca
nal was made by Mr.. Cass. August q.
1857 Replying to a letter OF Lord Napier,
which suggested the plan of joint pro-
tectorate of any trans-oceanic canal
through the Isthmus of Darien by Great
Britain, France and the United States, Mr..
Cass said
at is important that they (the canais)
should be kept free from the danger of
interruption by the Governments through
whose territories they pass. or by hostile
operations of other countries engaged in
war.
"'While the rights of sovereignty of the
local Governments must always be respect
ed, other rights also have arisen in the
progress of events, involving interests Of
great magnitude to the commercial world,
and demanding its careful attention, and
If need be. its efficient protection.
LIN view of these interests. and after
having invited capital and enterprise from
other countries to aid in the opening of
these great highways Of nations. under
pledges Of free transit to ali desiring il.
it cannot be permitted that these Govern
ments should exercise over them tthe ca
nalsl arbitrary and unlimited control, and
close them, or embarrass them without
reference to the wants of commerce or the
intercourse of the world
Equally disastrous would it be to leave
them at the mercy of every nation which
in time of war. might find it advantageous.
for hostile purposes. TO take possession of
them and either restrain their use or sus-
pend It altogether.
1.-The President hopes that by the con-
sent of all maritime powers all such diff
nculties may be prevented, and the inter-
oceanic lines, with the harbors Of immedi-
ate approach to them. may be secured
beyond interruption to the great purposes
for which they were established"
Thus the United States in the begin
ming, before the Claytcn-Bulwer Treaty,
took the same ground that is reached in
the convention of February. 1900. for the
universal decree of the neutral, free, and
innocent use of the canal as a worid's
highway, where war should not exist. and
where the honor of all nations would be a
safer protection than fortresses for its Sc
curity. From that day to this these wise
forecasts have been fulfilled and Europe
has adopted. in the convention of Con-
stantinople. the same great safeguard for
the canal that was projected by Mr.. Cass
in 1857.
THE only objections that have been
urged by the United States have not re-
lated to the treaty as a binding compact.
but 10 the conduct Of Great Britain in eX-
ecuting its terms and refusing to abandon
certain islands and coast possessions
which she claimed were not held after the
date of the treaty in violation of its terms.
I'm this subject there was a radical diff
ference OF opinion between the two gov
ernments, which involved the true inter
probation OF the f~st article OF the treaty.
Great Britain more than once suggested
that either the difference of Interpretation
should be submitted to arbitration, or that
she would consent to ahrogate the treaty,
and the United States declined the over
lures.
I'm 1854 the Dallas-C Clarendon Treaty was
negotiated for the settlement OF all dis
puted matters that had arisen under the
Clayton Bulwer Treaty. II failed under an
amendment by the Senate OF the clause re-
lating to the Bay Islands OF Honduras. AS
to all other matters it was satisfactory.
and IL made no changes or new provisions
as 10 any matter TeihtlnS 10 tue Chill
Thus. both Governments reaffirmed these
provisions of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty,
which had been under searching eXamina-
tion for four years.
I'm 1868. eight years after the Clayton
Bulwer Treaty was concluded. MIR. Cass, in
letter to Lord Napier, said: The at
tempts TO adjust the Central American
questions by means of a suppleme- Ia y
treaty having failed of success. and the
subject not being of a character, in the
opinion of the United States. &c admit OF
their reference to arbitration. the two
governments were thrown back upon their