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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
notice one extraordinary stipulation which it could scarcely have been expected would be acceptable to the United States, and which must have been entered into in the anticipation of their objections to it. Those objections are insurmountable. This obnoxious arrangement provides that the French Government shall have the right to keep two ships of war stationed in the waters of Lake Nicaragua for the entire duration of the works. I am persuaded that this proposition will meet no favor from the French Government, and that its name has been intro- duced here unwarrantably and without its knowledge. The equality and security of these inter-oceanic routes constitute a great portion of their value to the world, and all commercial powers are interested in their maintainance. An exclusive right in one of these Powers to exercise a permanent armed intervention would give serious causes of dissatisfaction to all the others, and the United States freely avow their determination to oppose such a measure, should the Governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua attempt to carry it into effect. But there are additional considerations applicable to this contract with Mr. Belly, and to other contracts for similar pur- poses, entered into by the Government of Nicaragua, which commend themselves to the attention of the Government of the United States,. and will not be disregarded. - There are several American citizens,. who, with different interests, claim to have formed engagements with the proper authorities of Nicaragua for opening and using the Transit routes, with various stipulations, defining their privileges and duties,. and some of these contracts have already been in operation. This Gov- ernment has neither the authority, nor the disposition to determine the- conflicting interests of these claimants. But what it has the right to do, and what is disposed to do, is to require that the Government of Nicaragua should act in good faith towards them, and should not arbi- trarily and wrongfully divert them of rights justly acquired and sol- emnly guaranteed. The United States believe it to be their duty, and they mean to execute it, to watch over the persons and property of their- citizens visiting foreign countries, and to intervene for their protection,. when such action is justified by existing circumstances and by the law of Nations.· Wherever their citizens may go thro' the habitable globe,. when they encounter injustice, they may appeal to the Government of their country and the appeal will be examined into, with a view to such action on their behalf as it may be proper to take. It is impossible to define in advance with precision those cases in which the national power- may be exerted for their relief, or to what extent relief shall be afforded- Circumstances as they arise must prescribe the rule of action. In coun- tries where well defined and established faws are in operation, and where- their administration is committed to able and independent judges, cases· will rarely occur where such intervention will be necessary. But these elements of confidence and security are not everywhere found, and where- that is unfortunately the case the United States are called upon to be more vigilant in watching over their citizens and to interpose efficiently for their protection, when they are subjected to tortuous proceedings by the direct action of the Government, or by its indisposition or inability to discharge its duties.
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