Doc. No. 75. 



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grasping policy which led her to seize upon Gibraltar, Malta, and the 

 Ionian isles, and which has governed all her operations in the East In- 

 dies, she has, upon the flimsiest pretexts, possessed herself of the port 

 of San Juan, commanding this isthmus, relying upon the feebleness of 

 Nicaragua, and the supposed indifference of other nations, for impunity 

 in the perpetration of this grand felony. The farce of erecting a mis- 

 erable tribe of degraded Indians and samboes into a nation worthy of the 

 alliance and special protection of Great Britain, is as clumsy and ridicu- 

 lous as the encroachments and aggressions which have been made under 

 its cover are disgraceful. She must be fast relapsing into senility if she 

 deludes herself with the beUef that the nations of the globe, interested 

 in the free transit of this isthmus, will allow it to be interrupted or in any 

 way restricted by the pretensions which she has set up. 



I believe that France must view the seizure of San Juan in the same 

 light; and if so, her recognition, in conjunction with the United States, 

 of the sovereignty of Nicaragua over the route of the proposed canal, 

 and her guarantees of protection to the same upon the broad principle of 

 equal rights and perfect reciprocity, must prove an efficient warning to 

 Great Britain to quietly relinquish her ill-gotten possessions. Other na- 

 tions stand ready to follow the lead of the United States in this matter; 

 but I regard the intervention of France as of first importance. Who 

 shall dare to dispute the will of the first two republics of the globe, 

 when it is exercised in behalf of justice and the general good of mankind? 



I have, sir, written to you without reserve, knowing that my confi- 

 dence will not be misplaced, and that my motives and the policy of my 

 government will be properly appreciated. I need not add that I shall be 

 glad to receive your views upon the matters herein referred to, if practi- 

 "Cable, fey return courier. 



Hoping, sir, to have the pleasure at an early day of presenting my re- 

 spects to you in person, I am, &c., 



E. G. SQUIER. 



To the Consul General 



of t/ie Republic of France in Central America. 



H. 



Leon de Nicaragua^ August 13, 1849, 

 'Sir : As the diplomatic representative of the United States in Central 

 America, I have made a treaty with the government of Nicaragua of the 

 highest importance to the American interests, and of great general interest 

 as relating to the opening of a ship canal between the Atlantic and Pa- 

 cific oceans. This route, suffice it to say, is now in American hands, 

 and, as you have perhaps been already advised, it is the determination of 

 the present administration to defend it from all encroachments and in- 

 vasions, from whatever quarter the same may proceed. You can well 

 understand that these proceedings on the part of the United States have 

 t)een opposed by the whole weight of English influence, and no expe- 

 dient will be neglected by the English representatives here to embarrass 

 es in our new relations.. 



You are well aware that, under a variety of pretences, (but relying for 

 impunity in their acts upon the weakness of the Central American States) 

 they have kept the west coast from Punta Arenas to istapa in constant 



