The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-08

President of the United States of Co
| lombia for a force to protect the
| Isthmus of Panama from a BODY of
| insurgents of that country. The
purpose of the stipulation was to
guarantee the istLmus against seizure
or invasion by a foreign power only.
Attorney General Speed, under date
of Nov z, 1865 advised Secretary Sc
ward as follows
From this treaty it cannot be sup
posed that New Granada invited the
United States to become a party to
the intestine troubles of that govern
ment, nor did the United States be-
come bound to take sides in the do
mestic broQs of New Granada. The
United States did guarantee New
Granada in the sovereignty and prop
erty over the territory. This WAS as
against other and foreign govern
ments."
For 400 years. ever since shortly aft
err the discovery of this hemisphere,
the canal across the isthmus has been
planned For two score years it has
been worked at When made, it is to
last for the ages. 1t is to alter the
geography OF a continent and the trade
routes of the world. We have shown
by every treaty we have negotiated
or attempted to negotiate with the peo-
pies in control of the isthmus and with
| foreign nations IN reference thereto
our consistent good faith in observing
our obligations; on the one hand TO
the peoples of the isthmus,, and on the
! other hand to the civilized world whose
commercial nights we are safeguard
ing and guaranteeing by our action
We have done our duty to Others in
letter and in spirit, and we have shown
the utmost forbearance in exacttng our
own rights. 14s...- ~et .rq ,tf.-.r -
The Colombian Treaty, o.. .4
Last spring, under the act above re-
| ferred to, treaty concluded between
the representatives of the republic of
| Colombia and of our government was
| ratified in the Senate. This treaty
was entered into at the urgent solicit
tation of the people of Colombia and
after a body of experts appointed by
| our government especially to go into
| the matter of the routes across the
| isthmus had pronounced unanimously
| in favor of the Panama route. In draw
| ing up this treaty every concession
was made to the people and to the
| government of Colombia. We We're
more than Just in dealing with them.
| Our generosity was such as to make
| it a serious question whether we had
| not gone too ffar in their interest AT
| the expense of our own, for In our
! ,seFupulous desire to pay all possible
! heed, NOT 1nereiyto ttIelTea1 but even
| to the nfancied rights fof our weaker
! neigh Dor. who already owed so much
| to our protection and fol'bearance, I'VE
I yielded in all possible ways to her de-
/ sires in drawing up the treaty. New
! ertheless the government of Colombia
! not merely repudiated the treaty, but
| repudiated it in such a manner as to
make it evident by the time the Co
| lom bian Congress adjourned that not
| the scantiest hope remained of ever
! getting a satisfactory treaty from
| them. The government of Colombia
made the treaty, and yet when the Co
| lombian Congress was called to ratify
it the vote against ratification was
| unanimous. 1t does NOT appear, that
the government made any real effort
to secure ratification. .e.-- ..
Immediately after the adjournment of
the Congress a revolution broke out
in Panama. The people of Panama
| had long been disconnected with the
republic of Colombia, and they had
been kept quiet only by the prospect
of the conclusion of the treaty, which
| was to them a matter of vital con-
Germ. When 1t became evident that
| the treaty was hopelessly lost, the peo-
| pie of. Panama rose, literally as one
| man. Not a shot was fired by sim
BIC IlldA Oli ldlE illleI est
of. the Colombian government. Not a
life, was lost in, the accomplishment
/ of the revolution. The Colombian
| troops stationed on the isthmus,i who
| had long been unpaid, made common
! cause with the people of Panama, and
| With astonishing unanimity the new
| republic was started The duty of
the United States in the premises was
| clear. In strict accordance, with the
principles laid down by Secretaries Cass
and Seward in the official documents
| above quoted, the United States gave
notice that 1t would permit the land
| ing of no eXpeditionary force, the ar
| rival Of which would mean chaos and
! destruction. along the line. of the rail-
road and of the proposed canal, and
an interruption of transit as an ineV-
| table consequence. The de facto gov
eminent of Panama was recognized in
the following telegram to Mr. Ehrman:
THE people of Panama have, by
apparently unanimous movement, dis
solved their political connection with
I the republic of Colombia and resumed
their Independence. When you are
satisfied that a de facto government,
republican in form and without sub
sta initial opposition from it's own peo-
pie, has been established in the state
of Panama, you will enter into rela-
tons with Ii as the responsible gov
eminent of the territory and look to
it for all due action to protect the
persons and property of citizens of the
United States and to keep open the
isthmian transit, in accordance with
the obligations Of existing treaties gov
erning the relations of the United
States to that territory
The government of Colombia was
notified of our action by the following
telegram to Mr.. Beaupre:
The people of Panama having, by
an apparently unanimous movement,
dissolved their political connection with
the Republic Of Colombia and resumed
their Independence, and having adopted
a government Of their own, republican
in form, with which the government Of
the United States of America has en-
RONIC DISEASES PERMANENTLY