The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-07
Isthmus Of Panama. This purpose has
been fulfilled.
T,enf,, 80 121R

Isthmus of Panama. This purpose has
been fulfilled.
Treaty Of 1916.
In. the year 1S46 this government
entered into a treaty with New Gra-
nada, the predecessor upon the 18TH
mus of the Republic OF Colombia and
of the present Republic of Panama,
by which treaty it was provided that
the government and citizens of the
United States should always have free
and open right Of way or transit across
of communication that might be con-
structed, while in return our govern
ment guaranteed the perfect neutral
lty Of the aforementioned isthmus
With the view that the free transit
from the one to the other sea might
not be interrupted or embarrassed.
The treaty vested in the United States
a substantial property right carved out
of the rights of sovereignty and prop
erty which New Granada then had and
possessed over the said territory. The
name of New Granada has passed
| away and its territory has been di-
Vlded. Its successor, the government
of Colombia, has ceased to own any
property in the isthmus. A new re-
PUBLIC, that of Panama, which was at
one time sovereign state, and at an
successive considerations known as
New Granada and Colombia, has now
succeeded to the rights which first one
and then the other formerly exercised
over the lsthmus. But as long as the
istllmus endures, the mere geograph-
ical fact of it's existence, and the pc
culiar interest therein which is re-
quired by our position, perpetuate the
solemn contract which binds the hold
4 n .1.aSnart
right to freedom of transit across it,
| and binds us in return to safeguard
| for the isthmus and the world the eX-
| ercise of that inestinable privilege.
The true interpretation Of the obliga-
tions upon which the United States
entered in this treaty of 1 S46 has been
given repeatedly in the utterances Of
| presidents and secretaries of state.
| Secretary Cass in 1865 officially stated
the position of this government as fol-
! lows: 81
The Cass Statement.
THE progress of events has rendered
| the interoceanic route across the mar
row portion of Central America vastly
important to the commercial world,
and especially to the United States,
whose possessions extend along the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and de-
mand the speediest and easiesttmodes
of communication. While the rights
! of sovereignty Of the states occupying
| this region should always be respected,
we shall expect that these rights be
exercised in a spirit BETTING the occa-
sion and the wants and circumstances
| that have arisen. Sovereignty has its
duties as well 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 permitted, 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 pretension that these ave:
nues of trade and travel belong tC
| them and that they choose to shu,
| them, or, what is almost equivalent, tc
| cucumber them with such unjust re.
lations as would prevent their genera
USE
Seven years later, in 1865, Mr.
Seward in different communication.
took the following position:
Neutrality Declaration.
'The United States have taken anc
will take no interest in any
Lquestion Of internal revolution
in the state Of Panama, OF
any state Of the United States
of Colombia, but will maintain per.
1 feet neutrality in connection with such
domestic alterations. The United
States will, nevertheless, hold them.
selves and readyftosD osDrotectlt the transi
trade across the} ] iisssnnus = agains
invation of either IdoiYnestic or foreign
distur6ers Of the of Neitber Shs state TO-
text nor the spirit of the stipulation il
that article by which the United
States engages to preserve the neu
trality of the Isthnlus of Panama
imposes an obligation on this govern
ment to comply with the requisitiol
[of the president of the United State
of Colombia for a force to protect tn
Isthmus of Panama from a body, o
i insurgents of that country1. TIL
purpose of the stipulation was t
guarantee the isthmus against seizur
|. or invasion by a foreign power only.
!. Attorney, General Speed, unde
: date of Nov. 7, 1865, advised Secretar.
Seward as follows:
From this treaty it can not be sup
} posed that New Granada invited tn
United States to become party to tn
intestine troubles of that govern
ment, nor did the United States be
come bound, to take sides in the do
mestic broils of New Granada. TIL
United States did >. guarantee Nev
Granada in the sovereignty and prop
over the territory. This was a
against other and foreign gov
ernments.'
For 400 years, ever since shortl
after the discovery of this hemi
has been planned. For two scor
years it has been worked at. Whe
made it is to last for the ages. 1t
to- alter the geography of a continen
and the trade routes of the world.