Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

municatlon that might be constructed
while in return our Government guaranteed
the perfect neutrality of the above-men-
toned Isthmus with the view that the free
transit from the one to the other sea might
not be interrupted or embarrassed Ihe
treaty vested In the United states a SUD-
stantial property right carved out OF the
rights of sovereignty and property which
New Granada then had and possessed over
the said territory. The n me OF New
Granada has passed away and Its territory
has been divided. Its successor, the Gov
eminent of Colombia. has ceased to own
any property in the 1sthmuS. A new ne
public, that of Panama, which was at one
time sovereign state, and at another time
"A mere department of the success We con-
declarations known as New Granada and
Colombia. has now succeeded to the Fights
which first one and then the other formerly
exercised over the Isthmus. But as long
as the Isthmus endures, the mere geo
graphical fact of it's existence, and the
pecui.ar interest therein which is required
by our position perpetuate the solemn con-
tract which binds the holders OF the terri
tory to respect our right to freedom OF
transit across it. and binds us in return to
safeguard for the ISthmus and the world
the exercise of that measurable privilege.
The true Interpretation of the Obligation
upon which the United States entered In
this treaty of 1916 has been gwen repeated
ly in the utteranceS of Presidents and Sec
Tetaries of State. Secretary Cass in 1898
officially stated the position OF this Govern
ment as follows:
he ITOS1eSS VI events has cHucicu ZIG
interoceanic route across the narrow por-
ton of Central America vastly impor ant 10
the commercial world, and especially 10
the United States, whose possessions ex-
tend along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
and demand the speedlest and easiest
modes of communication. While the rights
of sovereignty of the states occupying this
reg on should always De respected. we shall
expect that these rights be exercised IN a
spirit BETTING the occasion and the wants
and circumstances that have arisen. Sow
ereignty has its duties we'll as its 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 perm tied. in a spirit
of Eastern isolation, to close the gates OF
intercourse on the great highways of the
world and justify the act by the preten-
SION that these avenues of trade and travel
belong TO them and that they choose to
shut them, or, what is almost equivalent,
TO cucumber them with such unjust rela-
tons as would prevent their general use"
Seven years later in 1865 Mr.. Seward in
different communications took the follow
ing position:
The United States have taken and will
take no interest in any question of internal
revolution in the State of Panama, or any
State of the United States of Colombia, but
will maintain a perfect neutrality in con-
nection with such domestic alterations.
The United States WILL nevertheless. hold
themselves ready to protect the transit
trade across the Isthmus against the in
turbers of the peace of the State of Pana-
ma. Neither the text nor the spirit
of the stipulation in that article by which
the United States engages to preserve the
neutrality of the 1sthmus of Panama. i'm
poses an obligation on this Government to
comply with the reQuistiOn [of the Presi-
dent of the United States OF Colombia for
q force to protect the Isthmus Of Panama
from body of insurgents of that country]
The purpose Of the stipulation was to guar
antee the 1sthmus against seizure or in
vasion by foreign power only"
AttorneyGeneral Speed, under date of
November Z. 1865, advised Secretary Sew
ard follows:
From this treaty 1t can not be supposed
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 sovereignty and property
over the territory. This was against
other and foreign governments"
For four hundred years. ever since short
ly after the discovery of this hemisphere,
the canal across the Isthmus has been
planned. For two score years 1t has been
worked at. When made it is to last for
the ages. 1t Is to alter the geography of
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
obliga TONS the one hand to the peo-
pies of the Isthmus, and on the other hand
TO the civilized world whose commercial
rights we are safeguarding and guaran-
teeing by our action. We have done our
duty to others in letter and in spirit. and
we have shown the utmost forbearance in
exacting our own rights.
Reputation of Treaty
Last spring, under the act above referred
to, a treaty concluded between the repre-
sentatives of the Republic of Colombia and
Of our own government was ratified by the
Senate This treaty was entered into at
the urgent solicitation of the people OF Co
lombia and after a body of experts appoint
ed by our government especially to go into
the matter of the routes across the 1sthmus
had pronounced unanimously In favor of
the Panama route. In drawing up this
treaty every concession was made to the
people and to the government of Colombia.
We were more than just in dealing with
them. Our generosity was such as to make
It serious question whether we had not
gone too far in their interest at the expense
Of our own; for in our scrupulous desire to
pay all possible heed, not merely to the real
but even to the fancied rights of our weaker
reighbor. who already owed so much to our
protection and forDearance, we yielded in
all possible ways to her desires in drawing
up the treaty. Nevertheless the Government
Of Colombia not merely repudiated the
treaty. but repudiated 1t in such manner as
to make it evident by the time the Colom-
bian Congress adjourned that not the
scantest hope remained of ever getting
a satisfactory treaty from them. The Gov
eminent of Colombia made the treaty, and
yet when the Colombian Congress was call
cd to ratify 1t the vote against ratification
was unanimous. 1t does not appear that
the Government made any real effort to Sc
cure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the Congress revolution broke out in PAN
anna The people of Panama had long been
discontinued 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 II became evident that the
treaty was hopelessly lost, the people of
Panama rose literally as one man. Not a
shot was fired by a single man on the 18TH
mus in the interest of the Colombian Gov
eminent. Not life was lost in the accom-
plishment of the revolution. The Colombian
troops stationed on the 1sthmus. who had
long been unpaid made common cause
with the people OF Panama, and with as
tonishing unanimity the new Republic was
started.
Course Of United States.