Newspaper Page Text
^ I, 1,1 m .i ILIIIBJJ1IJJI.WI.HIMBLM
.■%H»iij»rii *K-<~--g*T**** 11 " 111 *** ■
Ol Hfi^ ! - [->■ .?kf)iKi'»3 ^ *•«« *}
—i-J-‘ - ■■ — ii* 1 , ’ i ■■— ' -UA. 77 ^ =5 ^j E J^^yJ^3£^jO^ Baf ^J«gta
to? noe* <£■»..•: >*»,'^ '■’*•'$'• '
#» r »8|lt «%’<;«■* iiC ’ill •;'*'. -»’*: fit ■ J*. S , Ji'«t'’,ill
? tww; ', i • . -.mSgusui in?.?'-..-? ^Val"
ffiUVSV-■* *r*; : >•.* tu»>.}i -m .its*, fi -'
‘^\^:Ji;h>h1.>
ct-Jar a m*>s1* m
jtq v ;.’?s *’ .«?• '■-'■’•vf
l*Dii
VOLUME III;
ATHENS, GEORGIA, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 29. 18'56.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY,
HY JOHN II. CHRISTY,
^NUMBERS
■ DITOK A!«D rurMITOI.
Term* of Subscription.
rvVO a 1LLAIW p#r»*num, If p«IU *irict1yin nJ
.Ice uiUer«rU«.TUREE DOLLARS willb. chirped
£lu .irJjtihatth. price of tb* P«P»'.»n«y iwibiin
I*. vriv»f» I irgecirculation,Clubs wil!b« applied
::: K»*
rtlti,tk» Cask mutfcttmfanf a, order.
Kates of AilrertUinR.
Tr.n.ieflt »4wrti*»menl» willbeinsericd at One
d.HMP*T«T'>T«r>>T«h«tIrrt.andPifiyCei.t»per*quare
fo ^“uV^ ) Xlv* i O*"i^" ; ent|. at the usual rates
/r*3 dale, will'lie cliarerit S5 for anmmnceinente,
ke rbarped a» advertife.i.ents. L , ,
When the number of in«rti»n*«»notmarkedonand
ilr»rii<oineni, it will ue published till forbid, and
eh «ti«d icconlinfljr.
90tminrw nit& ^rafrsaimtni <£nrilS.
ROBERT IIESTER,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
jjjiY 1 ELBERTON, OA.
J. M. MATTHEWS,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
May 1 DANIELSVILLE. GA.
C. B. LOMBARD,
DENTIST,
ATHEXS, GEO ROM.
(„oa, iver tlieStoreof Wilson II Veal. Jan3
PITNER & ENGLAND,
Wholesale Jt Retail Dealers! n
(SroccricSjDryGoods,
ir.1RDIT.1RK, SHOES JI.VD ROOTS,
April 0 Athens, O a
DORSEY & CARTER,
dealers in
Family Groceries & Provisions.
Corner of Brotd and Jackson streets
Athens. (la.
MOORE & CARLTON,
DEALERS IN
SILK, FANCY AND STAPLE GOODS.
HA R D HM RE AND CROCKER Y.
April Nn. 3, Granite Row, Athens, Ga.
LUCAS & BILLUPS,
irilOI.ES.1LE AXD RETAIL DEALERS /.V
DRY GOODS,
GROCERIES, HARDWARE, Ac. Ac.
No. 2, Broad Street. Athens.
JOHN II. CHRISTY,
PL.1I.YAXD F.ixcr
Rook and Job Printer,
“Franklin Job Office,” Athens. Ga.
Ml tr.irk entrneted to hi* eareraithlnlly, correctly
and punctually executed, at pricescorrespond-
jnli in j .v:th tits hardnessuf the times.
T. BISHOP & SON,
Wholesale an«l Retail Dealers
[groceries. HARDWARE. i\/r,
STAPLE DRY GOODS,
May 1 No. 1, Broad streol, Athens.
AVILLIAM N. WHITE,
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER,
And.Yt it.ipaprr and.Vagazint Agent.
DEALER IN
\MUSlCaud MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
LAMPS, FINE CUTLERY, FANCY GOODS, AC.
| No. 2, College Avenue. Newton House. Athene, Ga
tiguof •• White’s University (look Store.”
Orders promptly filled at Augusta rates.
JAMES M. ROYAL,
HARNESS MAKER,
H AS removed his shop to Mitchell’s old
Tavern, one door east of Grady <& Nicb-
I olson’s—where he keeps always on hand a
Uencral assortment of articles in hisline, and
Ittalwaysready to fillordersinthe best style
1 Jan 26 tf
COLT & COLBERT,
DEALERS tN
STAPLE DRY GOODS,GROCERIES
AND HARDWARE.
Io. 9 Granite Row Athens, Ga.
JAMES COLT. | ITJI. C. COLBERT.
August 6,1355.
w. W. LUMPKIN,
ATTORNEY at law,
lTTtiro Athens, Ga.
VV'LL Practice in all the counties of the
i c™.r,.T«u"" i ‘- r * ru “ i “
| Office on Broad street, over White «fc Moss’
r . - Jan 81 •
M. L. MARLER,
ATTORNEY at law.
Jefferson, Jackson County, Ga.
McLester a Hunter
"• », Thompson. Etqs., Jefferson; D.
Me r nd W. J. Peeples, Esqs. Law-
ilu ’«?*?• Newton > C. Peeples, Esq
tip Chnatv, Athens; Law A Clarke
Ju ,5 rah ® m * Gainesville.
s” ll lv
the bridge.
There’s a wondrous bridge, my lady.
In the softcstclimc I know,
Where the sweetest breath of balsam,
Winds of spring eternal blow.
From one heart unto another,
Leads this bridge’s wondrous way;
Love it is who guatds the portal,
Opes to those who own his,sway.
Love it is the bridge that buildeth,
Roses are the means, supplied;
O’er it soul seeks soul in union.
As a bridegroom seeks his bride.
Love has spanned and capped the arches,
Decked it with its fair array;
Love, too, gathercth the taxes, _
Kisses are the tolls to par. -
Wduldst thou, willingly, sweet maiden,
See this wondrous bridge of mine ?
Tit n-it is that thou must lend me,
If we build it, help of thine.
From thy brow then drive the shadows,
Smile but on me, if thou wilt l
Then let’s lay our lips together,
And the bridge will soon he built.
SONG.
BY JAMES MONTGOMERY.
Round Love’s Elysinn bowers,
The fairest prospects rise;
There bloom the sweetest Bowers,
There shine the purest skies,
Andj j and rapture gild awhile,
The cloudless heaven of Beatty’s smile.
Round Love’s deserted bowers,
Treacherous rocks arise:
Cold mildews Might the flowers,
Tornadoes rend the skies ; ’
And Pleasure s waning moon goes down,
Amid the night of Beauty’s frown.
T ter, Youth, thou fond believer!
The wily Siren shun;
Who trust the dear Deceiver,
Will surely be undone.
When Beauty triumphs, ah! beware:
Her smile is hope—her frown despair.
W. G. DELONY,
HTorivey AT LAW,
h. S'^Uisspecial attention to collect*
it|J S’ '‘id to the claims of all persons en-
k*iv nnd « r thd late
I fra* of the Congress.
I If v c ® un B ,oa d Street over the store
d-"-Kenney.
1855—tf.
C - w. & H. R. J. LONG,
J *bU,
esnle
and Retail Druggists.
ATHENS, Ga.
SLOAN & OATMAN,
DEALERS III
*€««», Egyptian 6 American
SKNNESSEE MARBLE.
' ,,, V 8 A U, n » a " J Vases; Marble
•‘All U iu“ d Fu * Marble -
1 “Mers promptly filled.
•*JUf trU Mr ATLANTA, GA.
“ Mr. Ross Crane. junel4
THE GAME AT CARDS.
‘The datkies are mine,’ said the game
ster, striking his fist upon the table;
‘show era up, and let us see what tlu v
look like.”
The young planter, who had lost, sent
one of the boat servants below for John
and Helen. The passengers awaited the
appearnnee of the servants in silence, fjr
a long time; hut they came not. The
servant had informed them of the change
of owners. They were attached to the
young plainer and wife, and did not like
to leave them; besides, they had children
of their own at home; and what was to
become of them ?
1 he winner began to wax impatient
at the delay, and exclaimed :
Come, Danton ; hurry up the niggers.
They must move quicker than this
when I send for’em or they'll never
know what hurt’em.”
The young planter's aristocratic face
flushed crimson at this rude and brutal
«xclama'ion, but he made no reply. He
was about to send another servant for
John and Helen, when his purpose was
stayed by the appearance of Mrs. Danton.
Her husband bad been gaming, and she
hac. -*een. weeping ever since the boat
left Cincinnati; and we are now far
down the Mississippi. No wonder,
then, that she was pale and wan, and
that her eyes looked as though they had
been nearly wept away; but she was
made exquisitely lovely nevertheless.
Although many years have passed
since that evening, I can see the sorrow-
stricken young wife now, as she glided
up to the table and looked her husband
in the face. He could rot bear up
under her gaze. He had lost all their
money, and in a fit of desperation had
also staked and lost the two slaves. Lay
ing her little hand on his arm she said :
‘Is it true, Charles, that you have lost
John and Helen V
Her husband made no reply ; he could
not even look up.
The passengers were now fast gather
ing round and the scene was growing
painful. My father (who had come
north to fetch me from school, and was
taking the longest possible way home,)
was bolding roe by the hand, and I
knew by the tightening of his grasp,
that he was becoming much excited.
As Danton did not 6eem inclined to
answer his wife’s question, the gamester
roughly said :
‘Yes, ma’am, John and Helen are
mine, and I want to see ’em quick.’
Danton sprang to his feet, and stoop
ing across the table, hissed in the teeth
of the gamester:
) ‘Villain l don’t you presume to speak
| to ray wife again.’
Fhe look with which this menace was
accompained was perfectly blasting, and
made the swarthy and pitted face of the
gamester (airly turn white.
How inconsistent is man ! That ac
complished and high born husband could
deliberately jeopardize the property and
corrode the huppiness’of his wife, hour
after hour, day after day, and year after
year, but he could not J»ear that the
man whom he had chosen for a compan
ion should even so much as speak to
her.
‘Yes, Mary; John and Helen are lost,’
he said at last, as he let the gamester
from under , his gaze, they are lost, and it
can't be helped now; so don’t let us have
a scene about it,’
‘I shall not let them go,’ said Mary
firmly, ‘and I shall have a scene about
*t.£l did not say a word about the mo
ney ; but now that you have played them
away——Oh, Charlie ! ! nnd she leaned
her head on her husband's breast.
‘Ah! here they come!’ said the game
ster, as John and Helen approached.
John was a powerful and fine looking
mulatto; his face indicating unusual
telligence and kind heartedness. Helen
was much whiter than her husband, and
remarkably handsome. The gamester’s
evil eyes gleamed as he surveyed her,
and turning to a savage looking man
near , him he said:
‘I’ll sell Jou John in the morning,
Hammond; but Helen I shall keep—at
least for a few days.’
Tm agreeable,’ said the slave trader,
for such he was; ‘but I’d like the gal as
soon as possible.’
A look of indignation ran round the
group at this brutal colloquy. My fath
er’s grasp grew lighter still, and encour
aged thereby, I whispered to him to buy
John and Helen himself; hut he shook
bis head, and motioned me to keep silent.
*1 tell you I shall not let them go,’ re
peated Mrs. Danton, addressing the
stranger. ‘They were brought up in
my mother’s family; besides, they have
children at home, from whom it would
be cruel to separate them.’
The gamester and slave dealer exchang
cd sneers at Mrs. Dantou’s sentimental
reasons for not letting the slave eo, and
her husband said:
*It can’t be helped now. Mary, let
us go to our'rooro,’
‘O, Missus, don’t go and leab me wid
dat. man,’ shrieked Helen; ‘I shall die,
or jump oberboard. O, don’t leab your
own true Helen, wlio sabed your fife
when you fell in do byoo.’*
_*I shall not leave you, Helen. Do not
be alarmed. I——’
‘Bress de Lord for dat,’ interrupted
Helen; ‘I knows we’re safe now; kase
you allers does jes’ what you say you
will.
‘I think it’s about time this nonsense
was stopped,’ said the gamester, rising
from the table—‘You acknowledge,
Danton, that these negroes are my prop
erty; consequently they are mine, and
I’ve a right to do what I please with
them, no bill cf9aleis necessary between
two gentlemen. And now, you niggers,
just come along with me, and don’t make
a fuss, or I'll have you flogged and put
in irons.’
The scene now became extremely ex*
citing. John drew Helen to his side,
and clenched his teeth and fists, while
their young mistress stood close in front,
as if with her feeble arm, she would
protect them from the clutches of the
gamester. I was wild with excitement,
and begged my father either to buy the
slaves or shoot the gamester—I did not
care which. A bloody fight seemed in
evitable; when a young New Englander,
who had been very quiet during the
whole trip, elbowed bis way to the table,
asked the gamester at what sum he
valued his slaves.
Two thousand dollars,’ said be; “do
ou want to buy*?’
‘I have only a thousand dollars,’ the
young man answered. ( I will give you
that for them.’ *
‘No, sir, but I’ll >t it e* em against a
thousand dollars, and play you a game
of poker for the pile.’
I don’t understand the game,* said
the New Englander.
•What game do you play ?’
‘I have played a few games at all-
fours but I never gambled fora cent in
my life.’
‘Well, I’ll play you a ganc at all-
fours, then if you like, and stake the
n'ggers agianst your thousand dollars.’
To the surprise of every one present,
the young man accepted the challenge,
called for a new pack of cards, staked
his thousand dollars, and the game com
menced—the gamester having the first
deal.
As the company drew more closely
round the table, it seemed as though a
watchmaker’s shop were in our midst,
so distinctly we heard the tick of the
watches.
The first hand the New Englandar
made three to the gamester’s one, at
which a buzz of pleasure ran round the
group. The second hand the gamester
three to his opponent nothing; the third
hand they each made two, which left
the New Englander two to go, while
gamester had but one to make, and it
was his turn to beg. This was a great
advantage, and every body seemed to
give up the 4 thousand dollars as lost.
The New Englander dealt the cards
with a steady hand, however, and turned
up the jack of hearts, which placed him
even with his antagonist, but when he
raised his cards I saw that he had not a
single trump in his hand, and his adver
sary was hesitating whether to ‘stand’ or
'be*: if the former, the game was his to
i certainty ; if the latter, there would be
another chance for the slaves. After
drumming on the back of his cards for a
short time, he looked at the New. Eng
lander to see if he could determine by
his manner what it was best to do. but
the Young Bunker IIIU met his gaze
without flinching, and there they sat for
a long time gazing into each other s
ey«K
‘Run the cards.’ said the gamester at
last. I could have hugged him for his
mistake.
Bunker Hill again dalt, and the queen
of spades was turned. Evejy
stood still as the cards were for the last
time lifted.
•They are mine!’ shouted the New
Englander ;'‘or rather, they are your’s
madam,’ said he, in a milder tone, to
Mrs. Danton, as he threw down the
*ace of spades.
}■
AP-
The beautiful and impetuous South
ron threw her arras around the winner’s
neck and three deafening cheers (in
which even the slavedeahr joined) told
the satisfaction of the audience.
Many years after I met the New Eng
lander in Mississippi, nnd claimed his
acquaintance, on the scorce of having
been one of the most enthusiastic parti-
zans.on the night ofhis well remember
ed triumph. He had prospered in bus
iness and become rich. He was making
his annual pilgrimage to the family
bearlbsioue—a stone which has more
potent charms for good than that at
which kneel Mahomedan devotees in
the city of their prophet. He said he
had never touched a card &in:e that
memorable game; that tfie thousand
dollars that he then risked was the sum
total of his savings for many toilsome
years; but that he staked it, and played
the game with a perfect conviction of
success.
Danton had sought him out, and kept
up the acquaintance ever since ; and
Mrs. Danton could now travel the world
over with her husband without fear, for
he had forsworn gambling from that
never-to-be forgotten night.
JOHN HANCOCK AS HE
PEARED IN 1782.
One whosaw Hancock in June. 1782,
relates that be had the appearance of
advanced age. He had been repeated
ly and severely afflicted with gout,proba
bly owing in part to this custom of drink
ing punch—a common practice in high
circles in those days. As recollected at
the time, Hancock was nearly six feet
ip height, and of thin person, stooping a
little, and apparently enfeebled by dis
ease. His manners were very gracious,
of the old style, a dignified complaisance.
His face had been very handsom.
Dress was adapted quite as much to the
ornamental as the useful. Gentlemen
wore wigs when abroad, and commonly
caps when at home. At this time, about
noon, Hancock was dressed in a r-d
velvet cap, withiu which was one ol
■fine linen. The latter wa3 turned up
over the lower edge of the velvet, one,
two, or three inches. He wore a blue
damask gown lined with silk, a white
stock, a white salip embroidered waist
coast, black satin small clothes, white
silk stockings, and red morocco slippers.
It was a general practice in genteel
families to have a tankard of punch made
in the morning, and placed on a cooler,
when the season required it. At this
visit, Hancock took from the cooler stan
ding on the hearth a full tankard, and
drank first himself, and then offered it
to those present. His equipage was
splendid, and such as is not customary
at this day. His apparel was sumptu
ously embroidered with gold, silver lace
and other decorations fashionable among
men of fortune of that period ; and he
rode especially upon public occasions,
six beautiful bay horses, attended by
servants in livery. He wore a scarlet
coat, with ruffles on his sleeves, which
soon became the prevailing fashion;
and it is related of Dr. Nathan Jaques,
the famous pedestrian of West Netvbury,
that he passed all the way from that
place to Boston, in one day to procure
cloth for a coat like that of John Han
cock’s and returned with it unde^liis
arm, on foot.
GRAPE CULTURE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
The Philadelphia United States
Gazette thinks that “there is a proba
bility that greatly increased attention
will be given this spring‘in;several of
the Southern States, particularly in Ten
nessee, Georgia and South Carolina, to
the culture of the grape. The 6oil and
climate in that part of the country are
eminently adapted to the successful
growth of the vine, as is already given
by the actual experiment. The most
valuable wine grape known in America,
the Cataba, is indigenous to the State of
North Carolina, and thrives with equal
luxuriance throughout the isolhermel
belt of country. The gentlemen in Cin
cinnati, backed by the large amount of
capital at their disposal, have awaked
very general interest in the new depart
ment of agriculture, and imparted to it
an impetus which augurs important re
sults.
Added to this, the repeated disnstrou-
failure in the European wine crop, and
the annihilation of vineyards before the
progress of disease, suggests the possi
bility of having to rely on home produc
tion. Prices are stimulated, and the des
mand fora pure article, under the in
creased temptation to adulterate and
imitate becomes urgent. The culture
of green-house grapes, within twenty
miles of Boston, is quite extensive, and
the amount of money invested in houses
for their growth must be reckoned by
hundreds of thousands of dollars. There
are several growers who 1^’C annual
crops of from one to five tons, command
ing a price of $1 to $3 the pound,
varying with the season in which the
crop is ripened. Many varieties are
grown, embracing all the most delicious
kinds cultivated in the East and in tropi
cal climates in the open air.
RtCHBSTAKB TO THEMSELVES WtNGS.
—A few weeks since Col. Fremont, of
California, was the richest land holder
known in the world. by tens, nor
by hundreds of thousands were his
wealthy possessions computed, but it
went to the maximum of millions. The
fame ofhis wealth went up like a rocket
—later accounts bringing it down like a
stick. A correspondent of the New
York Journal of Commerce, says he is
informed by intelligent Californians
that no man in California would give
thirty thousand dollars for the whole of
the agricultural portion of the Mariposa
graut, and notatoundred thousand dol
lars for the whole grant, including that
portion of the same which embraces*!!
part of the gold quartz region In fact,
it is a matter of some doubt whether the
famous Mariposa grant is worth any
thing.'
Cutting Timber.—If oak, hockory
or chestnut timber is felled on the
eighth month—August—in the second
running of the sap, and barked, quite a
large tree will season perfectly, and even
the twigs will remain sound for years;
whereas that cut in winter and remain
ing till next fall—as thick as one’s
wrist—will be sap rotten, and will be
almost useless for any purpose. The
body of the oak split into rail? will last
more than teu or twelve years. Hick
ory cut in that month is not subject to
be worm eaten, and will last a longtime
for fencing. <
When 1 commenced farming in 1820,
it was the practice to cut timber for
post fencing in the winter. While oak
r >stand black oak rails cut at that time,
found would not last more than ten or
twelve years. In the year 1828 I com
menced cutting fence timber in the
eighth month.
Many of the oak rails cut that year
are yet sound, as well as those formed
of chestnut. If the bark is not taken off
this month, however, it will peel off
itself the second or third year, and leave
the sap perfectly sound. The posts of
trees are also more valuable for fuel
than when cut in winter or spring.
I advise young farmers to try the ex
periment for themselves, and’if the post
fences will not last twice as long, I for
feit nil my experiencesworthless.
The Best Judge.—A judge and a
joking lawyer were conversing about the
doctrine of transmigration of the souls
of men into animals.
“ Now,” said the judge, “ suppose
you and I were turned into a horse and
an ass, which would you prefer to be
“ The ass,” to be sure, replied the
lawyer.
*• Why ?” asked the judge.
“Because,” was the reply, “I have
heard of an- ass being judge, but a horse,
never.”
When some one was lamenting l* oot’s
unlucky fate'in being kicked in Dublin,
Johnson said, ‘He is rising in the world;
when he was in England, no one thought
it worth while to kick bim. ?
The Retort Courteous, but not
Amatory.—A year or so ago there used
to be on “our floor” in one of the hotels
of this city, a very lady-like, tidy, pretty,
Irish chambermaid, whom it is well
enough to call Rose. A grey haired
gentleman of fifty odd occupied 103,
and as he sat at his little table one
morning, Rose came in to brush n little.
“Rose," quoth he, “I’ve fallen in love
with you. Can I venture to hope you
will think well of me !”
‘Be sure you may, your honor/’ re
plied Rose with a twinkle of her bright
eyes—“for me father and me mo:her
iver told me to riterence grey hairs all
the days of me life !”
Rose switched outef the room, and
the elderly gentleman went to the bar
ber’s.—Montgomery Alait.
Justly Puniciied.—We hear that at
a Democratic meeting in Moniteau coun
ty, held some’week or t»vo ago, a foreign
ner, so green from “Faderlarid” that he
could not discharge the duties of the
chair with any ease to himself or satisfac
tion to the spectators, was called upon
to preside. Wiih the little that he
knew, and the direction of those present,
the chairman passed through the meet
ing until the committee on resolutions w«»
to be appointed. The chair proceeded
to the, appointment of the committee in
broken English, but not knowing bis
men, be appointed a committee of Know
Nothings, who, after being absent a short
time, returned with a string of resolutions
endorsing Fillmore and Donelson; which
were read! But what became of them,
our informant did not state. They
ought to have been passed, whether they
were or not.—Lexington Express.
General Jackson was asked by a
gentleman what course he would pursue
if he were permitted to live his glorious
life over again. “Never, says the in
terrogator, shall I forget the majestic
tone of voice with which he calmly biit
emphatically replied: —‘Sir, I would
not accept the boon if it were offered
me!”
From the WaiLiagt n Union, May lOtli.
Our relations withNicaragua
Iu answer to resolutions passed in
both Houses of Congress, the Presid-nt
sent to Congress, yesterday,. a special
message, accompanied by the corres
pondence in regard to our. present re
lations with Nicaragua. The message
is as follows: _
To the Senate and House of Represen
tatives : ....
I transmit, herewith, reports of the
Secretary of State, the Secretary of the
Navy, and the Attorney General, in re
ply to a resolution of t he Senate of the
24th of March last, and also to a resolu
tion of the House of Representatives of
the 8th of May instant, both having re
ference to the routes of transit betweeu
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through
the republics of New Grenada and
Nicaragua, and to the condition of affairs
in Central America.
These documents relate to questions
of the highest importance and interest to
the people of the United,States.
The narrow isthmus which connect&the
continents orNorlh and South America,
has, by the facilities it affords for easy
transit between the Atlantic and Pacific
ocenns, rendered the countries of Cen
tral America an object of special con
sideration to all maritime nations, which
has been greatly augmented in modern
times by the operation of changes iu
commercial ^relations, especially those
produced bv the general use of steam as
a motive power by land and sea. To
us, on account of its geographical posi*
tion and of our political interest as an
American State of primary magnitude,
that i-thmus is of peculiar importance,
just as the isthmus of Suez is, for cor
responding reasons, to the. maritime
powers of Europe. But, aluve all, the
importance to the United States of secur
ing frets transit across the American
isthmus has rendered it ot paramount
interest to us since the settlement of the
Territories of Oregon and Washington,
and the accession of California to the
Union.
Impelled by these considerations, the
United Smites took steps at an early day
to assure suitable meanff of commercial
trai.ait, by canal, railway, or otherwise,
across this isthmus.
We concluded, in the first place, a
treaty of peace, amity, navigation and
commerce with the republic of New
Granada, among the conditions of which
was a stipulation, on the part of New
Granada, guarantying to the United
States the right of way or transit across
that pait of the isthmus which liqs in
the territory of New Granada, in con
sideration of which the United States
guarantied, in respect of the same terri
tory, the rights of sovereignty and prop
erty of New Granada.
The effect of this treaty was to afford
to the people of the United States facili
ties for at once opening a common road
from Chagres to Panama, and for at
length constructing a railway in the
same direction, to connect regular'y
with steamships, for the transportation
of mails, specie and pissengers, to and
fro, between the Atlantic and Pacific
States and Territories of the United
States.
The United States also enleavored.
but unsuccessfully, to obtain from the
Mexican republic the cession of the
right of way at the northern extremity
of the isthmus ofTehuantepec, and that
line of communication continues to ba
an object of solicitude to the people of
this republic.
In the meantime, intervening between
the republic of New Granada and the
Mexican republic, lie the States of
Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nica
ragua, end Costa Rica, the severed
members of the former republic of
Central America. Here, in the terri
tory of the Central American States, is
A lady who made pretensions to the
most refined feelings, went to her batch
er to remonstrate with him on his cruel
practices. “ How can you be so barbar
ous as to put little innocent lambs to
death ?” “ Why, madam,” said the
butcher, “ you surely wouldn’t eat them
alive, would you V
He who is passionate and hasty, is
generally honest. It is" your cool, dis
sembling hypocrite of whom- you 1 should
beware. “There's no deception in a
bull dog.' It is only the cur that sneaks
up and bites you when your back, is
-turned:
America, that a military e^peditiqtf
under the amhority of the British Gtf- V
tteriiifteui had landed at San Jrfati cfet
Norte, in the State of Nicaragua, jantf
taken forcible possesion of that port, the
necessary terminus of any cafiaf or tail-
wsy across the isthmus within tlie terrU'
lories of Nicaragua.
It did not diminish the unwelcome-
ness to us oflhisa'ct on this part of Great
Lritian to find that she assumed to justify
it on the ground of an alleged protector-
ship ofa small and obscure band of Un
civilized Indians, whose proper n'anVe'
even had become lost to history, who
did not constitute a State capable of
territorial sovereignty, either in fact 6'f
of right, and all political interest in
whom, and in the tefrifofy they occupi
ed, Great Britain had previously re
nounced by successive treaties with
Spain when Spain was sovereign of the
country, and subsequently with inde
pendent Spanish America.
Nevertheless, and injuriously aff-cted
as the United States conceived titem-
selves to have been by this act of the
British government, and by i‘s occupa
tion atout the same lime of insular and'
of continental portions cf the territory
of the State of Honduras, we rent inher
ed the many and pouterful ties anrf
mutual inteiests by ivKf£ii%reat Britain*
and the United States are associated/
and we proceeded in earnest gi>od faith,-
and with a sincere desire to do tt hatever
might strengthen the bonds of peace
between us, to negotiate with Great
Britain a convention to assure the perfect
neutrality of all interoceanic communi
cations across the isthmus, and, as the
indispensable condition of such neutrali
ty, the absolute independence of the*
States of Central America, and their
complete sovereignty within tlie'1imitS i "‘
of their oivn territory, as well against
Qreat, Britain as against the Uiiiteif ‘
Slates. We supposed we hud accom
plished that object by the cnnvention.qf
April 19, i850, which would never Have,
been signed nor ratified on the part t>f
the United States, but fbr^K tSOtrVfctfoW
that, in virtue of its pr6Vis1|pSs, heiflttf ;
Great Britain nor-the United States traf
thereafter to exercise any territorial
sovereignty, in fact or in name, m any
part of Central America,- however W
whensoever acquired, either before or
afterwards. The essential object of
convention—the neutralization of the v
isthmus—would, of course, become a’
nullity, if either Great Britain or the
United States were to continue to hold’ •
islands or mainland of the isthmus, and!
more especailly if, 'under any claim - of
protectorship of Indians, either govern
ment were to remain forever sovereign'
in fact of the Atlantic stores of tLrf-
three States of Costa Riaa, Nicaragua'
and Honduras.
I have already communicated to the:
two houses of Congress full information'
of the protracted, and hitherto fruitless:
efforts which the United States bav^
made to arrange this international que»-*
tion with Great Britain. It is referred
to on the present occasion only because
of its intimate connection with thu
special object now to be brought to tire
attention of Congress.
The unsettled pnliiitial dondiiion of
some of the Spanish-American republics
has never ceased to be regarded by this
Government with solicitude anth'egref
on their own account, While it* hW beW
the source of continual embarrassm- nt
in our public and private relations with
them. Iu the midst of the violent re
volutions and the wars by which ttoy
are continually agitated, their public
authorities are unable to afford dlife pro-*
tection to forcignet's and to'foreign in
terests within their Territory, or even'
to defend their own soil against individ
ual aggressors, foreign or dome tic,-the -
burden of the inconveniences and jus -ftf
of which, therefore, devolves, in no in-
consideraple degree, upon* the foreign 1
States associated with them' in t-l'oW fd-'.
the narrowest part of the isthmus, and p t! j te3 associated wiih them' mcloWr’d-
hither, of course, public attention has , ' l,ou * °*. Sf°g ra ph:cal vicinity or of
been directed as the most inviting field coa U n v r c* a ' intercourse,
for enterprises ot inter-oceanic com
munication between the opposite shores
of America, and more especially to the
territory of the States of Nicaragua and ' tral America.
Honduras
Paramount to that of any European
State as was the interests of the United
States In the security and freedom of
projected lines of travel across the isth
mus by the way of Nicaragua and Hon
duras, still we did not yield in thisre-
spect to any suggestions of territorial
aggrandizement, or even of exclusive
advantage, either of communication or
of commerce. Opportunities had not
been wanting to the United State to
procure such advantages by peaceful
means, and with full and free assent of
those who alone bad any legitimate
authority in the matter. We disregard
ed those opportunities, from considera
tions alike of domestic and foreigu
policy; just as, even to the present day,
we have persevered in a system of justice
and respect for the rights and interests
of others as Well as our own', in regal'd
to each aud all of the States of Central
America. ;
>• It was w|tlfsurprise and regret, there
fore, that the United States learned, a
few days after the conclusion of the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, by which
the United Slates . became, with the
consent of the Mexican Republic, the
j rightful owners of California, and thus
I invested with augmented special interest
l inrthe political Condition- of Central
Such is, more, emphatically, the situa
tion of the United S ates With tespect
to the republics of Mexico and of Ccn-
' tral America. Notwithstanding, how
ever. the relative remoteness of .i to’
European States from’ Aoi'crica, fagtft
of the same order have nut fu!pd to’
appear conspicuously in their itrerc >ur.-<u
with Spanish? American republics. G r< at
Britain'has repeatedly bepn' conslraiir if
to recur to measures of force f»r the'
protection of British interests in iliu-o'
countries. France found it qecvMary
to attack the castle of San Juan dc U im 1 .
and even to debaYk troops at Vera Cruzv
in order to obtain redress of wrong*
done to Frcuchmea in Mexico:'
What is memorable in : this'respect m\
the conduct and pb’icy of the* United 1
States is, that while' it Would be
for us to annex and absorb new Terri
tories in America as it is for thir.-p -.ni’
States to do this in Asia or Alrica,- and 1
while, if done by us, it might be ju-:i-
fiedas well, on the alleged ground of the
advantage which would act rue' thfei e-
from to the Territories 1 annexed' nnd !
absorbed, yet we have abstained from'
doing it, in obedience to consid.Tathm'
of right not less than of policy ; and that.'
while'the courageous aud self-reliant
spirit of our peopleprornpis tliem to h.ir-
dy enterprises, and they oce isinn .1
yield to" the temptation of taking p irf
in the troubles of countries'near a'i lum-l'
where they know how potential th it*
, influence,’moral and material, mtist be,-