Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1904-01-09

granting the title was called New
Granada. Colombia. or Panama mat
tered not one whit. A events turned
out. the question OF reasonable time"
did not enter into the matter az al.
Although. as the months went by. 10
became Increasingly improbable that
the Colombian Congress would ratify
the treaty or take steps which would
be equivalent thereto yet all chances
for such action on their part did not
vanish until the Congress closed al
the end OF October. and within three
days thereafter the revolution iu raa-
ANA had broken out. Panama became
an independent state. and the control
Of tho territory necessary Tor building
the canal then became Obtaiuable. The
condition under which alone We could
have gone 20 Nicaragua thereby be
came impossible OF fulnllment- II the
pending treaty with Panama should
not DO ratified by the Senate this would
not alter the fact that We could not 20
10 Nicaragua The Congress has de-
cidcd the route. and there "a no alter
native under existing legislation.
When in August IL began 20 appear
probable that the Colombian Legisla--
ture would not ratify the treaty II be
came incumbent upon me 20 consider
well what the situation was and 20 be
what were the various alternatives or
action open 20 us. There were several
possibilities One was that Colombia
would az the last moment SEQ the I'M
wisdom OF her position. That there
might De nothing omitted. Secretary
Hay. through the minister It Bosota
repeatedly warned Colombia that grave
+ consequences might follow from her
+ rejection OF the treaty. Although IL was
..H . H. sHaH
+ the possibility OF ratification did not
wholly pass away until the close OF the
session OF the Colombian Congress
f 4 second alternative was that by the
f c-lose Of tho session on the last day %
+ October. without the ratification OF the
treaty by Colombia and without any
steps taken by Panama. the American
+ Congress on assembling early in No
vember would be confronted with
situation in which there had been a
. failure 20 come 20 terms as 20 building
tho canal along the Panama route. anu
vet there had not been a lapse or
. reasonable tme-usinE the word rea-
. Sonabie in any proper sense such as
would Justify the Adm instraUou going
TO the Nicarauga route. This situation
. seemed on the whole the most likely
and as "a matter OF fact 7 bad made
the original draft OF my Message to
the Congress with a view 10 It's OK
istence.
In Wow % an these facts directed
the Navy Department 20 issue instruc-
tions such as would insure our haN-
ing ships within easy reach 90 the ls-
thmus in the event of need arising.
Orders were given on October ls 90
the Boston 90 proceed 90 san Juan
del sur. Nicaragua. 90 the Dixie 60
prepare 20 sail from League Island .
and 90 the Atlanta 90 proceed 90
f Guantanamo. on October 80 the
Nashville was ordered 90 proceed to
Colon on November when. the
. Colombian Congress having adjourn
ed. IL was evident that the outbreak
was imminent. and when 10 was an
nOunced that both sides were making
, ready forces whose meeting wCul,
mean bloodshed and disorder the Co
lOmbian troops having been embarked
. on vessels. the following instructions
were sent 20 the commanders OF ths
Boston. Nashville and Dixie,
.
In the third place confidently
, maintain that the recognition ~ th
p Republic OF Panama was an act lusr
, fed by the interests OF collective civil
! izauon. II ever a government could b
: said 20 have received a mandate from
] / civilization TO effect an object the a.
, / ccmplishment OF which vas demande
: ( in the interest OF mankind. the Unite
i States holds that position with respec
: TO the intcroceanic canal Since on
= purpose 70 build the canal was definite
~ announced there have come fror
all quarters assurances OF approval an
announcement. in which even Colon
- hia herself at one time parties patel
y and 10 general assurances were acne
Z SPECIFIC acts and declarations. In OF
r. der that no obstacle might stand 4
2 our way. Great Britain renowned I'M
c portant rights under the Clayton Blu
j. wer treaty. and agreed 10 It's abroSs
!. ton. receiving in return nothing ou
n our honorable pledge 10 build the "a
5 nal aud protect il as an open highNal
/. IL was In view Of this pledge. and
IS the proposed enactment by the Cor
g gress OF the United States OF legisla
g ton 10 give IL Immediate effect. ths
HI the second Pan-American Congress,
b, the City OF Mexico. on January =
Il 1902. adopted the following resolution
- The republics assembled at the II
a ternational Conference OF Mexico al
n plaud the purpose OF the United STATE
~ government 20 construct an interoc'
+ anic canal. and acknowledge that tn
\ work will not only be worthy OF n
greatness OF the American people. D'
/. also in the highest sense a work OF ci'
N nization. and 10 the greatest dcgr'
& beneficial to the development or con
- merce between the American stat
n and the other countries OF the world
IS Among those who signed this res
S lution on behalf OF their reSpecu'