Gilpin observer., 1903-12-10


which New Granada then had and pos
| sessed over the said territory. The name
of New Granada has passed away and Its
territory has been divided. Its successor,
the Government of Colombia. has ceased
to own any property in the Isthmus. A
new republic, that of Panama, which was
at one time a sovereign state, and at
another time mere department of the
successive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now suo-'
ceeded to the rights which first one and
then the other formerly exercised over
the isthmus. But as long as the isthmus
endures, the mere geographical fact of its
existence. and the peculiar interest there
In which Is required by our position,
perpetuate the solemn contract which
binds the holders of the territory to re-
spect our right to freedom of transit
across it. and binds us in return to safe
guard for the isthmus and the world the
exercise of that inestimable privilege.
The true Interpretation of the obliga-
tions upon which the United States en-
tered In this treaty of 1916 has been given
repeatedly In the utterances of PreSi-
dents 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 the narrow
portion OF Central America vastly impor-
tant to the commercial world, and espe-
cially to the United States, whose pos
sessions extend along the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts, and demand the speediest
and easiest modes of communication
While the rights of sovereignty of the
states occupying this region should al
ways be respected, we shall expect that
these rights be exercised in a spirit be-
fitting the occasion and the wants and
circumstances that have arisen Sover-
eighty has its duties as well as its rights,
and none of these local governments,
even II administered with more regard to
the just demands of other nations than
they have been. would be permitted, in a
spirit OF eastern isolation. to close the
gates of intercourse on the great high
ways of the world. and justify the act by
the pretension 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 relations as would pre-
vent their general use."
Seven years later, in 1865, Mr.. Seward
In different communications took the fol-
lowing position:
THE United States have taken and
will take no interest in any question of
internal revolution in the State of Pan
anna. or any State of the United States of
Colombia, but will maintain a perfect
neutrality in connection with such do
nestle alterations. The United States
will. nevertheless. hold themselves ready
to protect the transit trade across the
mestic or foreign disturbers Of the peace
OF the State of Panama Neither
the text nor the spirit of the stipula ton
in that article by which the United States
engages to preserve the neutrality Of the
Isthmus of Panama. imposes an obliga-
ton on this Government to comply with
the requisition [of the President of the
United States of Colombia for a force to
protect the Isthmus of Panama from a
body Of insurgents of that countryl. The
purpose of the stipulation was to guar
antee the isthmus against seizure or in
vasion by a foreign power only"
Attorney-Gener Speed, under date of
Nov. Z. 1866, advised Secretary Seward as
follows:
From tins treaty it can not be sup
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 sovereign
ty and property over the territory. This
was as against other and foreign govern
ments.''
For four hundred years, ever since
shortly after the discovery of this hem
isphere. the canal across the isthmus has
been planned. For two score years it
has been worked at. When made IL is to
last for the ages. 1t is to alter the
geography of a continent and tue trade
routes of the world. We have shown by
every treaty We have negotiated or at
tempted to negotiate with the peoples in
control OF the isthmus and with foreign
nations in reference thereto our consis-
tent good faith in observing OUR obliga-
uons; on the one hand to the peoples 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.
Last spring. under the act above re-
ferred to. treaty concluded between the
representatives of the Republic of Co.
lombia and of our Government was ratf-
fled by the Senate. This treaty was en-
tered into at the urgent solicitation of
the people Of Colombia and after body
OF experts appointed by our Government
especially to so into the matter OF the
routes across the isthmus 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 IL a Sc
rious 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 neighbor. who already owed so
much to our protection and forbearance.
we yielded in all possible ways to her
desires in drawing up the treaty. Never
theless the Government OF Colombia not
merely repudiated the treaty. but repu-
dated 1t In such manner as to make it
evident by the time the Colombian Con-
gress adjourned that not the scantiest
hope remained OF ever getting a salts
factory treaty from them. The Govern
ment OF Colombia made the treaty, and
yet when the Colombian Congress was
called to ratify It the vote against rati-
fication was unanimous. 1t does not ap-
pear that the Government made any real
effort to secure ratification.
Revolution In Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment of
the Congress n revolution broke ont in
Panama. The people of Panama had
long been discontented with the Republic
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