Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-12-11
president POOSEVELTS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS

ments, even IL administered with more re-
gard to the just demands Of other ma
lions than they have been, would be per-
mltted, 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 avenues of
trade and travel belong to them and that
they choose to shut them, or what Is al
most equivalent, to cucumber them with
such unjust relations as would prevent
their general use"
Seven years later, in 1865, Mr. Seward In
different communications took the following
position:
1.-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,
Connection with such domestic st n aitcrcatons.
The United States will, nevertheless, hold
themselves ready to protect the transit
trade across the Isthmus against invasion
of either domestic or foreign disturbers of
the peace Of the State Of Panama ."
Neither the text nor the spirit of the stIp-
ulation In that article by which the United
of the Isthmus OF Panama, imposes an OBJ
legation on this Government to comply with
the requisition (of the President of the
United States Of Colombia for force to
protect the Isthmus of Panama from body
of insurgents Of that country. The pur-
pose of the stipulation was to guarantee
the Isthums against seizure or invasion by
q foreign power only
Attorney General Speed, under date of
November 7, 1866, advised Secretary Seward
as follows:
From this treaty 1t 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 sovereignty and property over the
territory. This was as against other and
foreign governments"
L Fn,, ndra1 shortly
after the discovery of this hemisphere the
canal across the 1sthmus has been planned.
For two score years 1t has been worked at.
When made 1t 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 for
eign nations in reference thereto our con-
sstent good faith in observing our obliga-
lions; 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 guaranteeing by
our action. We have done our duty to 9TH
ers in letter and In spirit. and we have
shown the utmost forDearance in eXactlng
our own rights.
Last spring, under the act above referred
to- treaty concluded between the repre-
sentatives Of the Republic Of Colombia and
of our Government was ratified by the Sen
ate. This treaty was entered into at the
urgent solicitation Of the people Of Colon
bia and after body OF experts appointed
by our Government especially to 60 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 1t
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 fancicd rights Of our
weaker neighbor, who already owed SO much
to our protection and forbearance, we yield
ed In all possible ways to her desires in
drawing up the treaty. Nevertheless the
Government Of Colombia not merely re-
pudiated the treaty, but repudiated 1t In
such manner as to make it evident by the
time the Colombian Congress adjourned that
not the scantiest hope remained OF ever get
ting satisfactory treaty from them. The
Government of Colombia made the treaty,
and vet when the Colombian Congress was
called to ratify 1t the vote; against ratifi-
cation was unanimous. 1t does not appear
that the Government made any real effort
to secure ratification.
Revolution in Panama.
Immediately after the adjournment Of
the Congress a revolution broke out in
been disconnected with the Republic of Co
lombia, and they had been kept quiet only
by the prospect Of the conclusion Of the
treaty, which was to them a matter Of Vi
tai concern. When 1t became evident that
the treaty was hopelessly lost, the people
Of Panama rose literally as one man. Not
shot was fired by a single man on the
Isthmus in the interest of the Colombian
Government. Not life was lost in the
accomplishment of the revolution. The Co
lomban troops stationed on the Isthmus,
who had long been unpaid made common
cause with the people of Panama, and
with astonishing unanimity the new Repub-
lie was started. The duty of the United
States in the premises was clear. In strict
accordance with the principles laid down
by Secretaries Cass and Seward in the Of
fetal documents above quoted the United
States gave notice that it would permit the
landing of no expeditionary force, the ar
rival Of which would mean chaos and de-
struction along the line of the railroad and
of the proposed canal, and an interruption
Of transit as an Inevitable consequence
The de facto Government of Panama
was recognized in the following telegram
to Mr. Ehrman; ''The people of Panama
have, by apparently unanimous movement,
dissolved their political connection with
the Republic of Colombia and resumed
their independence. When you are salts
fed that de facto government, republican
In form and without substantial opposition
from its own people, has been established
in the State Of Panama, YOU will enter
government of the territory and look to it
for all due action to protect the persons
and property of citizens of the United
States and to keep open the isthman tran.
sit, in accordance with the obligations of
existing treaties governing the relations
CT the United States to that territory"
The Government Of Colombia was noti-
fed of our. action by the following tele-
gram to Mr.. Beaupre: "The people of
Panama having. by an apparently uIlani-
NOUS movement, dissolved their political
connection with the Republic of Colombia
and resumed their independence, and hay
ing adopted a government Of their own re-
publican in form, with which the Govern
ment of the United States Of America has
entered into relations, the President of
the United States, in accordance with the
ties of friendship which have so long and
so happily existed between the respective
nations most earnestly commends to the
Government of Colombia and of Panama
the peaceful and equitable settlement Of
all questions at issue between them He
obligations, but by the interests Of civili-
cation, to see that the peaceful traffic Of
the world across the Isthmus of Panama
shall not longer be disturbed by constant
succession of unnecessary and wasteful
civil WINS