306 . WRIGHT— POWER TO MEET RESPONSIBILITIES. 



tion unless the foreign nation had reason to suppose it had been 

 consented to by the proper authorities.*^ 



145. By National Political Organs: The President. 



Where power to fulfill responsibilities is vested in the Pres- 

 ident, he may decide what action is necessary. Thus Presidents 

 have often decided when the circumstances contemplated by 

 treaties or agreements of guarantee and protection, such as those 

 with Colombia (1846), Mexico (1882-1894), Cuba (1903) and 

 Hayti (1916), exist, and on their own responsibility have moved 

 troops or war vessels.*® In his message of December 7, 1903, 

 President Roosevelt explained at length his interpretation of the 

 treaty of 1846 with Colombia. By Article 35 of this treaty the 

 United States had "guaranteed, positively and efficaciously to 

 New Granada, (Colombia) . . . the perfect neutrality of the . . . 

 Isthmus, with the view that the free transit from the one to the 

 other sea may not be interrupted or embarrassed in any future 

 time while this treaty exists ; and, in consequence, the United 

 States also guarantee, in the same manner, the rights of 

 sovereignty and property which New Granada has and possesses 

 over the said territory." In fulfillment of this guarantee Pres- 

 ident Roosevelt had ordered the war vessel Nashville to Colon, 

 with instructions : *^ 



" In the interests of peace make every eflfort to prevent Government 

 troops at Colon from proceeding to Panama. The transit of the Isthmus 

 must be kept open and order maintained." 



With this action, the insurrection soon ended in success, and 



President Roosevelt promptly recognized the New Republic of 



Panama. In the message he called attention to previous occasions 



from 1856 to 1902, in which the United States had been obliged 



to exercise a " police power " in connection with this guarantee 



and the President had ordered sailors and marines to land and to 



patrol the Isthmus. ^° 



4^^ Supra, sec. 24. 



48 taft, Our Chief Magistrate, pp. 85-87. 



4^ Richardson, Messages, 10: 566. 



^'^ Ibid., id: 664. 



