744 Presidential Addresses 



state of facts in no way dependent for its justification 

 upon our action in ordinary cases. I have not de- 

 nied, nor do I wish to deny, either the validity or 

 the propriety of the general rule that a new state 

 should not be recognized as independent till it has 

 shown its ability to maintain its independence. This 

 rule is derived from the principle of non-interven- 

 tion, and as a corollary of that principle has general- 

 ly been observed by the United States. But, like the 

 principle from which it is deduced, the rule is sub- 

 ject to exceptions ; and there are in my opinion clear 

 and imperative reasons why a departure from it was 

 justified and even required in the present instance. 

 These reasons embrace, first, our treaty rights; sec- 

 ond, our national interests and safety ; and, third, the 

 interests of collective civilization. 



I have already adverted to the treaty of 1846, by 

 the thirty-fifth article of which the United States se- 

 cured the right to a free and open transit across the 

 Isthmus of Panama, and to that end agreed to guar- 

 antee to New Granada her rights of sovereignty and 

 property over that territory. This article is some- 

 times discussed as if the latter guarantee constituted 

 its sole object and bound the United States to pro- 

 tect the sovereignty of New Granada against domes- 

 tic revolution. Nothing, however, could be more er- 

 roneous than this supposition. That our wise and 

 patriotic ancestors, with all their dread of entangling 

 alliances, would have entered into a treaty with New 

 Granada solely or even primarily for the purpose of 

 enabling that remnant of the original Republic of 



