The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-02-03
GRIEVANCES OF COLOMBIA
Protest Of General Reyes and Sec
retarv Hays Reply.
RELATIONS WITH PANAMA
Colombia Holds This Government Re-
Her rTerrltory-Claims Pansma's Sue
cess was Duo to This Country-Assur-
ances OF Secretary Hay.

Her Terrltory-Claims Pansma's Sue
cess was Duo to This Country-Assur-
snces OF Secretary Hay.
Washington, D. C.-The President, in
accordance with his expressed deter
mination to make public every scrap
ef information on the Panama subject,
transmitted to the Senate additional
correspondence between Secretary Hay
and General Reyes, relating to Colon
bian and Panama affairs. The corre-
spondence includes General Reyes for
mai protest against the action of the
United States and Secretary Hays re-
ply thereto. Several letters from Min'
lister Buchanan to Secretary Hay and
a letter from Minister BTnau-Varilla to
Mr.. Hay were transmitted also. =
On December, % General Rafael
Reyes transmitted to Secretary Hay q
statement Of grievances Of Colombia"
This statement calls attention to Sec
ton 5 Of Article XXXV. of the Treaty
of 1S46, which provides that In case OF
violation Of the treaty the aggrieved
party may submit to the other state
ment of injuries and damages, de-
manding Justice and satisfaction.
General Reyes then reviews the his
tory Of the Hay-Herran treaty, and ar
CUES shat the Republic OF COLOMBIA
acted tirely within its right and ac-
.cording to the treaty itself when 1t
considered the treaty in Congress and
finally, rejected it. "If the United
States had rejected the treaty" says
General Reyes, "the disapproval would
have involved no grievance for Colon
bia." ''The rejection Of the treaty by
Colombia" he continues, Ibid not dis
qualify the Government for the con-
clusion Of another treaty with the Gov
.ernment of Your Excellency, and 1t in
deed resolved to make proposition to
that effect. Neither did that course
imply any slight toward the Govern
ment of the United States. On the
contrary, the Senate. obserVant OF the
existing friendly relations, relied on
the sentiments of American fraternity
by which it was animated for the in
PRODUCTION in the new agreement that
was to be made on stpulations more
.consonant with the notion of sover-
eighty entertained by the people Of Co.
iombia. .,.
"I firmly believe that if the Colon.
bian Senate would have approved the
convention with amendments that
would probably have been acceptable
to the United States, had not the Amer
ican Minister at Bogota repeatedly de-
clared in the most positive manner
that his Government would reject any
amendment that might be offered"
General Reyes quotes from one OF
Minister Beaupre's notes. dated June
13. 1908, to the Minister of Foreign Re-
lations. ending as follows: IF Colon
bia now rejects the treaty OF unduly
delays its ratification, the friendly re-
Iations between the two countries
would be so seriously compromised
that our Congress might next winter
take steps that every good friend OF
Colombia would regret with SORROW.
! 'No one will wonder" says General
Reyes, "that under the pressure OF
!, threats so serious and irritating and
In presence of a formal notification
from the party which had authority to
serve it that no amendment would be
accepted. preference was given to dis
approval"
General Reyes comments politely on
the opportune arrival of, cruisers at
Panama and Colon and their orders to
prevent Colombian troops from land
ing on the Isthmus. and asks that the
claims he makes may be referred to
The Hague tribunal for settlement.
Secretary Hays reply, dated January
3, says that the Government Of the Uni
ted States has carefully considered the
complaints made by General Reyes.
1.-THE question which you submit" says
Mr.. Hay. "can be viewed only in the
light of accomplished facts. The Re
public of Panama has become mem.
Der of the family of nations"
Mr.. Hay recognizes that Colombia
has suffered an appreciable loss
through the revolution and offers the
good offices Of the United States with
a view to bringing about some ar.
rangement between Panama aud Co
1ombia on a fsir and equitable basis,