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Doc. No. 75. 



105 



niense resources and great fertility of those countries, and the convenient 

 maritime communication between them and our vast and rapidly im- 

 proving territories on the Pacific ocean. It would be desirable, and by 

 no means difficult, to conclude similar treaties with the two remaining 

 States of San Salvador and Costa Rica, so that in the &vent the Central 

 American States should again, as heretofore, form themselves into a fed- 

 eral union, or become united and consolidated under a single govern- 

 ment, our treaty relations with each and all of those States would be the 

 same, and all difficulty and embarrassment which might ensue from the 

 want of such uniformity would be forever abolished. 



Daring my residence in the city of Guatemala, in pursuance of the in- 

 structions from the government, I opened a correspondence with each of 

 the five States of Central America, which is herewith submitted, and to 

 which reference is made for the contents thereof. The result of the cor- 

 respondence with the State of Nicaragua was, the appointment of a 

 charge d'afi*dires by the government of that accredited expressly and 

 alone to the legation of the United States at Guatemala, by name Sr. 

 Don Ledo Buenaventura Selva, who was fully instructed and vested 

 with ample power to enter upon negotiations, and to conclude with the 

 undersigned a treaty of amity and commerce, and also a treaty or special 

 convention with the United States for the objects and purposes following: 

 1st. To obtain for the State of Nicaragua the protection of the government 

 of the United States. 2d. To obtain for the United States the right of 

 way, perpetually and without restriction, through the territories and do- 

 minions of the State of Nicaragua; and 3d, to provide a plan and project, 

 the best that could be devised, for the speedy construction within the 

 State of Nicaragua of a ship canal, or oceanic communication for the pas- 

 sage of ships from the Caribbean sea to the Pacific ocean. Accordingly, 

 after numerous conferences and some correspondence on the subject, 

 (herewith communicated,) a special convention between the United States 

 and the State of Nicaragua was concluded, and signed by Sr. Don 

 Buenaventura Selva, on behalf of his government, and by the undersigned, 

 on behalf of that of the United States, in the city of Guatemala, on the 2lst 

 June, 1849, which is herewith submitted, and which, if it should be 

 approved and ratified by the two governments, will, without doubt, in 

 my judgment, effect the objects designed, and produce the most import- 

 ant results, favorable to the future prosperity, wealth, and grandeur of 

 the North American Corifederacy, as well as to the perpetuation of the 

 American Union, and the preservation of the integrity of the territories of 

 the United States. 



When I took my departure from the United States, on the mission to 

 Centra-1 America, the treaty of peace with Mexico had not been ratified 

 by that power, and the countries of Upper California and New Mexico 

 had not yet been ceded to the United States; nor was it then known that 

 tlie mountains, plains, and rivers of those countries contained the immense 

 stores of mineral wealth which have since been discovered; nor was it 

 then foreseen that such an immense impulse would in so short a time be 

 given to the commerce with, and the emigration to those countries, as 

 hath since astonished the world; and I had, therefore, received no in- 

 structions whatever from the government at Washington, to secure, by 

 treaty with Nicaragua, the right of way for the government and citizens 

 of the United States through her dominions, or to secure and perfect a 



