128 



COLOMBIA. 



COLORADO. 



ent filled by Senor F. Zapata. Dr. Justo Arosemena 

 held this position for the three years previous, until 

 illness compelled him to retire. He was then offered 

 the portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs in Bogota, 

 which he declined. Everything which Senor Arose- 

 mena did during his ministerial mission in relation to 

 the settlement of the public debt, and other delicate 

 commissions, gave the greatest satisfaction to the 

 General Government. 



The legation to the United States of Venezuela was 

 indispensable, in order to reestablish friendly rela- 



tions between the two Governments and peoples of 

 Colombia and Venezuela. 



As the conference at Barranquilla, proposed by 

 Venezuela to the President of Colombia, in order to 

 arrange international questions, could not be carried 

 into effect, the Government thought it better to ap- 

 point Senor Murillo, who was President of this re- 

 public when the conference was proposed, as min- 

 ister to Venezuela. 



Until the year previous, a legation had been main- 

 tained permanently in the United States of America, 



BOGOTA. 



but the deficiency of funds, the satisfactory arrange- 

 ments made by Senor Martin, and the greater neces- 

 sity of having a legation at Venezuela, rendered it 

 difficult to keep up that in Washington. Senor Zapa- 

 ta, the Colombian minister to Europe, has been also 

 accredited to the American Government at Washing- 

 ton, should any important question require the tem- 

 porary presence of a representative of the republic in 

 that country. 



It is urged that there should be four legations : 

 in Europe, the United States, Venezuela, and the 

 republics of the Pacific. 



Important obligations bind us to the United States 

 of America, that nation being even a guarantee for 

 the sovereignty of Colombia over the most important 

 part _ of our territory. The only interoceanic com- 

 munication opened up as yet in Colombia has been 

 done by American citizens. 



The wish to have the Colombian frontiers with 

 Brazil defined, according to the treaties adjusted with 

 the ancient metropolis, has been resisted by the Im- 

 perial Government. The continual invasions of the 

 territories of the republic included between the afflu- 

 ents of the Amazons, and other more audacious 

 usurpations on the part of Brazil, call for the atten- 

 tion of the Colombian Congress. On this subject 

 Colombia stands by the rule of the uti possidetis, as 

 the only nrm and legitimate base for such a trans- 

 action. 



A conflict, which for some time threatened 

 to jeopardize the commercial and industrial 

 interests of the Union, broke out between the 

 national Government and some of the Atlantic 

 State governments ; these were in a state of 



siege during four months (until about the be- 

 ginning of October), and then order was again 

 established. 



COLORADO. One of the last acts passed 

 by Congress previous to its final adjournment 

 in March, 1875, was to enable the Territory 

 of Colorado to form a State government. Its 

 Territorial government continued through the 

 year as follows : Edward McCook, Governor ; 

 John "W. Jenkins, Secretary. In May two of 

 the judges of the Supreme Court were re- 

 moved by President Grant and two others ap- 

 pointed in their stead. 



Colorado was set off from Kansas as a Terri- 

 tory in 1861. It has an average extent of 275 

 miles north and south, and 380 miles east and 

 west. The plains occupy about one-third of 

 this area; the Eocky Mountains, and spurs 

 passing through the centre, the rest. 



The Territory east of the mountains is watered , 

 by the South Platte and Arkansas, their head- 

 waters being separated by the Divide, giving 

 the former and its tributaries to the northern 

 and the latter to the southern part of the Terri- 

 tory. 



The population and assessed valuation of 

 each county in June,. 1874, are given in the fol- 

 lowing table. The population was, at that 

 time, about 125,000, and the valuation $40,- 

 000,000. There is no Territorial debt. The 



