The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1903-12-10


territory has been divided. Its successor
l. Government OF Colombia. has ceased
to own any property il the lsthmus. a
new Republic. that of Panama. which was
at ore time sovereign state, and at
another time mere department of the
succeF sive considerations known as New
Granada and Colombia, has now sue
| ceedeH to the rights which first one and
| then the other formerly exercised over
the i$thmus. But long as the isthmus
endufes, the mere geographical fact of its
| existence, and the peculiar interest there
| in which is required by our position,
| perpftuate 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 obiga-
| tons upon which the United States en-
tered in this treaty of 1916 has been given
| repeatedly in the utttrances of Preai-
dents and Secretaries of State. Secretary
| Cass in 1858 officially stated the position
| OF this Government as follows:
| 1.-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
| IL.
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-
lifting the occasion and the wants and
circumstances that have arisen. Sover-
eighty has its 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 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 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
lsthmus against invasion of either do
mestic or foreign dsturbers of the peace
d.
) the text nor the spirit of the stipula tor
, in that article by which the United States
engages to preserve the neutrality of the
, ISthmus of Panama. imposes obliga-
tipn on this Government to comply with
; the requisition [of the President Of the
United States of Colombia for a force t.
: protect the Isthmus Of Panama from
body of insurgents of that countryl. TIL,
purpose of the stipulation was to guar
> ahtee the isthmus against seizure in
!, vasion by foreign power only"
Attorney General Speed under date O
!, | Nov Z, 1865, advised Secretary Seward al
follows:
From TINS treaty it can not be sup
? posed that New Granada invited tn
= , United States to become q party to tn
= intestine troubles of that Government
q nor did the United States become boun,
{ to take sides in the domestic brols o
Z New Granada The United States d
= guarantee New Granada in the sovereign
= ty and property over the territory. Thi
!. was as against other and foreign govern
: ments
i For four hundred years, ever sine
Y shortly after the discovery of this hem
:, Sphere the canal across the isthmus ha
u been planned. For two score years
has been worked at When made it is t
y asst for the ages 1t is to alter tn
81 geography of a continent and the trad
g routes of the world. We have shown b
tempted to negotiate with the peoples
II control of the isthmus and with foreig
4 nations in reference thereto our oonsis
II tent good faith in observing OUR oblga
q tons; on the one hand to the peoples
'e the isthmus, and on the other hand
'e the civilized world whose commerce;
III rights we are safeguarding and guaraI
IT teeing by our action. We have done oil
e duty to others in letter and in spirit al
III we have shown the utmost forbearance
Il eXacting our own rights.
4 Last spring, under the act above re
X ferred to. a treaty concluded between tt
representa- veS of the Republic of c.
II lombia and of our Government was rat
al fled by the Senate. This treaty was Ell
n tered into at the urgent solicitation
y the people of Colombia and after a boo
he of experts appointed by our Governmel
Ut especially to go into the matter of Il
a routes across the isthmus had pronounce
or unanimously in favor of the Panan
is route. In drawing up this treaty evel
or concession was made to the people al
n to the Government of Colombia We we
Oh more than just in dealing with them. o.
ut generosity was such as to make it a s.
at rious question whether we had not gol
do too far in their interest at the expense
ty our own; for in our scrupuous desire
mt pay all possible heed. not merely to Il
or real but even to the fancied rights of O
MT weaker neighbor who already owed
he we yielded in all possible ways to h
u desires in drawing up the treaty. Neve
n theess the Government of Colombia n
merely repudiated the treaty, but rep
dated it in such manner to make
- evident by the time the Colombian Co
~ gress adjourned that not the scante
=, hope remained of ever getting a sati
I'd factory treaty from them The Cover
II ment of Colombia made the treaty, a
-. yet when the Colombian Congress W
~ called to ratify it the vote against ra
~ ication was unanimous. 1t does not a
.o,Lt pear that the Government made any re
~ effort to secure ratification.
It'd Revolution in Panama.
he Immediately after the adjournment
a. the Congress a revolution broke out
led Panama. The people of Panama h
he long been Disconnected with the Repub
by of Colombia, and they had been kept gu
1al only by the prospect of the conclusi
re- of the treaty, which was to them mi
ah ter of vital concern. When it becal
ion evident that the treaty was hopeless
d. lost. the people of Panama rose litera
or as one man. Not a shot was fired by
single man on the isthmus in the inter
we of the Colombian Government. Not
Ter life was lost in the accomplishment
me the revolution. The Colombian troC