COLOMBIA, UNITED STATES OF. 



Ill 



look for the solution of the great problem of an in- 

 teroceanic canal. We know enough of the interior 

 topography to adopt the view of Dr. Oullen, that, if 

 we leave the Indian trail, which always passes over 

 the highest ground, and explore the country beyond 

 the ordinary line of travel, we shall probably find a 

 valley transversely dividing the Cordilleras, or at 

 least a lower ridge than any yet surveyed. Our most 

 trustworthy engineers in these regions, Trautwine, 

 Michler, Prevost, McDougall, and others, tell us that 

 it is impossible, from the very limited inspection of 

 the country taken on the Indian line of travel, to 

 form any conception of the nature of the ground, 

 even in the immediate vicinity. 



The surveying party going out on the Nipsic 

 and Guard are instructed to make a thorough 

 exploration of all this region of country, with 

 the view of actually constructing the ship-canal, 

 while the surveying parties who have visited 

 the isthmus heretofore were either sent out 

 "by private parties or by the Government for 

 the purpose of obtaining information. 



The new United States minister, General 

 Hurlbut, presented his credentials to the Presi- 

 dent, at the capital, on November 13th. After 

 exchanging the usual diplomatic formalities, 

 the general referred to the all-important canal 

 question, saying : 



" I have received instructions to call your Excellen- 

 cy's attention to the fact that the barrier formed by the 

 Isthmus of Suez has now ceased to exist, and that 

 the commerce of the nations of Europe now flows 

 eastward without impediment: while, up to the 

 present time, nothing has been definitely arranged by 

 the nations of America in order to procure the re- 

 moval of the obstacle presented by the isthmus which 

 lies within the territory of this republic. I shall 

 have the honor to present to vour Excellency, on be- 

 half of my Government, the important and matured 

 opinion of the President of the United States upon 

 this question one of vital transcendency to the true 

 prosperity of both nations, and of so great importance 

 to the commerce of the world." The President, in 

 replying to General Hurlbut' s allusion to the canal, 

 said : "You have manifested the necessity which is 

 experienced by all nations that the barrier which the 

 Isthrnus of Panama presents to general interoceanic 

 communication should be destroyed as quickly as pos- 

 sible. Colombia is also fully aware of this necessity, 

 and is disposed to do all that lies within the power 

 of the republic to further this great undertaking ; 

 and my Government, understanding the great influ- 

 ence which this work is certain to exercise upon the 

 destinies of the world, and of America in particular, 

 will examine with the greatest attention the ideas 

 which the President of the United States has charged 

 you to transmit to us, and no effort shall be spared to 

 secure the fulfilment of so great an aspiration." From 

 the foregoing ; it is very evident that the Colombian 

 Government is now most favorably disposed to en- 

 tertain proposals from the United States for the con- 

 struction of the canal. 



The General as well as the State govern- 

 ment of Colombia is in a sad financial con- 

 dition. The State government of Panama has 

 found it impossible to collect the heavy com- 

 mercial taxes laid illegally upon the merchants, 

 and President Correoso has been compelled 

 to propose a compromise with them. A 

 tax was sought to be imposed by the same 

 State government upon live-stock (bullocks 

 and hogs) sent off to the steamers of the 

 Pacific Mail Steamship Company, against which 



imposition the United States consul at Panama, 

 Thos. K. Smith, entered an energetic protest, as 

 being nothing more nor less than an export duty, 

 which the State had no right to levy. The 

 foreign merchants petitioned the Legislature 

 for a reduction of the commercial contributions, 

 but the Legislative Assembly adjourned (end 

 of October) without taking any further action 

 on this question, leaving the merchants the 

 disagreeable alternative of paying the com- 

 mercial tax under protest or giving up busi- 

 ness. 



According to the message of the President 

 of Colombia, the receipts of the Government 

 for 1868 from the Panama Railroad were 

 $418,193. The calculations of income and ex- 

 penses of the Government for the present year 

 show a deficit of $385,000. The review of the 

 financial condition of the country is very 

 gloomy and discouraging, nor is there much 

 hope to be gained for its future peace and 

 prosperity from the remarks of the President. 

 He says : " In all the States the necessity of 

 bettering their condition is felt, and it is under- 

 stood that this must be commenced by making 

 roads. In the midst of backwardness, general 

 poverty, and the state of bankruptcy in which 

 nearly all the sectional governments are at 

 present, attention is turned to that of the 

 Union for help, but it cannot answer them in 

 an honorable way even with promises. The 

 country, on the other hand, has reached such a 

 point of decline, the result of the disturbances 

 more or less absolute during the past years, 

 that it is necessary to commence the great 

 work of its regeneration at the foundation by 

 reestablishing security." 



The Legislative Assembly of Panama decided, 

 previous to adjourning in October, that the re- 

 newal of the charter and the sale of the 

 " reserves " by the General Government, two 

 years ago, were strictly legal and constitutional, 

 and a vote was passed declaring null and void 

 the action of the Assembly of 1867 in protest- 

 ing against the same. Of the nine States 

 forming the republic, there are now only three 

 which exhibit any opposition to the railroad. 



A bill, sanctioning the importation of coolies 

 into the State of Panama, has been passed by 

 the Assembly and approved by the President. 

 The laws of this State have not hitherto per- 

 mitted the introduction of laborers under con- 

 tracts for a longer period than two years. 

 This bill provides that contracts (which may 

 be transferred) for a term of four years may be 

 entered into, but with Chinese only, as some 

 of the representatives expressed their fears 

 that any other class of immigrants might be 

 a dangerous element in times of revolution. 

 This is regarded an important fact, considered 

 in connection with the proposed canal. Con- 

 tractors can supply their own laborers, and the 

 history of the construction of the Central 

 Pacific Railroad furnishes ample proof of what 

 Chinese laborers can do. 



COLORADO. (See TERRITORIES.) 



