The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-08

New Granada and Colombia, has now
 succeeded to the rights which first one
 and then the other formerly exercised
 over the isthmus. But as long as the
 lsthmus endures the mere geographical
 fact of its existence and the peculiar
 interest therein which Is required by
 our position perpetuate the solemn con- 1 tract which binds the holders of the | territory to respect our right to freedom of transit across it and binds us in re-
 turn to safeguard for the isthmus and
 the world the exercise of that inestim-
 able privilege. The true interpretation of the obligations upon which the Unit ] ed States entered in this treaty of 1S46
 has been given repeatedly in the utter
 ances of presidents and secretaries of
 state. Secretary Cass in 1858 officially
 stated the position of this government as follows:
 ! "The progress Of events has rendered the interoceanic route across tine narrow portion of Central America vastly inn portant to the commercial world, and especially to the United States, whose possessions extend along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and demand the speediest and easiest modes of comr I- nication. While the rights of sover- eighty of the states occupying this re- zion should always be respected, we shall expect that these rights be exer- cised in spirit befitting the occasion and the wants and circumstances that have arisen. Sovereignty has it's duties as well as it's rights, and none of these local governments, even if administered with more regard to the just demands of other nations than they have been, would be permitted, in spirit of east ern isolation, to close the gates of inter- course on the great highways of the world and justify the act by the preten- ton that these avenues of trade and travel belong to them and that they choose to shut them or, what is almost equivalent, to incumber them with such unjust relations as would prevent their general use." fa-a- .....--.s : Seven years late, in 165, MT. Seward in different communications took the following position: Es-.. .....s ... . ..
 "The United States have taken and will take no interest in any question of internal revolution in the state of Pana- ma or any state of the United States of Colombia, but will maintain a perfect neutrality in connection with such do- mestic alterations. The United States will nevertheless hold themselves ready to protect the transit trade across the isthmus against invasion of either do- mestic or foreign disturbers of the peace of the state of Panama. x : Neither the text nor the spirit of the stipulation in that article by which the United States engages to preserve the neutrality of the isthmus of Panama imposes an obligation on this govern ment to comply with the acquisition (of the president of the United States of Colombia for a force to protect the isth- mus of Panama from a body of insur- gents of that country.) The purpose of the stipulation was to guarantee the isthmus against seizure or invasion by a foreign power only.' @
 Attorney General Speed, under date of November 2, 1865, advised Secretary Seward as follows: .
 
 posed that New Granada invited the United States to become a party to the intestine troubles of that government. nor did the United States become bound to take sides in the domestic broils of New Granada. The United States did guarantee New Granada in the sover- eighty and property over the territory. This was as against other and foreign governments. w..
 For 400 years, ever since shortly af- ter the discovery of this hemisphere the canal across the isthmus has been plan- ned. For two score years it has been worked at. When made it is to last for the ages. It is to alter the geogra- phy 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 peoples in control of the isthmus and with foreign nations in reference thereto our consistent good faith in observing our obligations, on the enc hand to the peoples of the isth- mus and on the other hand to the civil I ized world, whose commercial rights we are safeguarding and guaranteeing by our action. We have done our duty to others in letter and spirit, and we have shown the utmost forbearance in exact- ing our own rights. EXPLORATION OF TREATY BY CO.,
 LoMBIA.
 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 by the senate. This treaty was '.'.