696 Presidential Addresses 



Neither the text nor the spirit of the stipulation in 

 that article by which the United States engages to 

 preserve the neutrality of the Isthmus of Panama, 

 imposes an obligation on this Government to comply 

 with the requisition [of the President of the United 

 States of Colombia for a force to protect the Isth- 

 mus of Panama from a body of insurgents of that 

 country]. The purpose of the stipulation was to 

 guarantee the Isthmus against seizure or invasion 

 by a foreign power only." 



Attorney-General Speed, under date of November 

 7, 1865, advised Secretary Seward as follows: 



"From this treaty it can not be supposed that 

 New Granada invited the United States to become 

 a party to the intestine troubles of that government, 

 nor did the United States become bound to take 

 sides in the domestic broils of New Granada. The 

 United States did guarantee New Granada in the 

 sovereignty and property over the territory. This 

 was as against other and foreign governments." 



For four hundred years, ever since shortly after 

 the discovery of this hemisphere, the canal across 

 the Isthmus has been planned. For two score years 

 it has been worked at. When made it is to last for 

 the ages. It is to alter the geography of a conti- 

 nent and the trade routes of the world. We have 

 shown by every treaty we have negotiated or at- 

 tempted to negotiate with the peoples in control of 

 the Isthmus and with foreign nations in reference 

 thereto our consistent good faith in observing our 



