Allan A. Burton to Señor Garrido, September 12, 1866
Mr. Burton to Señor Garrido
The undersigned, minister resident of the United States of America, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication which his excellency Señor José M. Rojas Garrido, secretary of the interior and foreign relations of the United States of Colombia, was pleased to address him on the 3d instant, announcing that the Colombian government had then just received private but trustworthy information to the effect that an insurrectionary movement against the national authority, instigated by the agents of the Panama Railroad Company, was being prepared in Panama, with the end of wresting that State from its allegiance to the federal government, notwithstanding, as is stated, the well known loyalty of its inhabitants. The fear is expressed that in such event the insurgents might come in conflict with American citizens and interests, and that to guard against any occurrence of the kind, the grand general President had ordered his excellency to request the undersigned to advise his government of said apprehended insurrection, and also to direct the troops and citizens of the United States, as well as the agents of the Panama railroad, to carefully abstain from interference or participation in the same, for the reason, as his excellency is pleased to state, that the government of the undersigned is bound to guarantee positively and efficaciously the perfect neutrality of the isthmus, and consequently the rights of sovereignty and property which the United States of Colombia have and possess over that territory.
Upon the receipt of his excellency’s communication, the undersigned did not delay to send the same to his government and to notify it to the agents of the United States at the isthmus, although the latter are under direct orders from Washington, which, independently of their own sense of duty and propriety, is a complete guarantee against the realization of the fears implied in the request that special directions should be given them to not take part in affairs with which they might have no concern.
With regard to the alleged complicity of the agents of the Panama Railroad Company in the supposed revolutionary enterprise, the undersigned esteems it his duty, in justice to a respectable association of his fellow citizens, to affirm, that while he, in nowise impugns the good faith of the informant of the Colombian government, he happens to have good reasons to know such indeed as to his mind exclude all reasonable doubt that, even if disloyal purposes towards the national government exist on the isthmus, as supposed, the charge against the agents of the Panama Railroad Company is without any real foundation whatever. And the imputation being of a character so grave, and which if suffered to rest without further notice may prejudice alike in the eyes of the world, so much interested in the good management of that great highway of nations, both the railroad company and Colombia, its joint owners, it is hoped that the government of his excellency will esteem it just and convenient to cause strict inquiry to be made into the alleged facts, giving to the result the like publicity which has been given to the charge. And further, as the government of the undersigned is equally solicitous with Colombia that law, order, and loyalty shall prevail on the isthmus, he trusts that his excellency may also find it convenient to communicate to this legation the evidences of their probable interruption.
After carefully considering the contents of his excellency’s communication, the undersigned has not been able to determine with entire satisfaction the preccise idea intended to be conveyed with regard to the duties resting on the United States to guarantee to Colombia the neutrality, sovereignty and property of the isthmus and he believes that on a review of the same, his excellency will agree that the importance and delicacy of the duties therein alluded to, require that they should be fully and clearly defined, so far at least as they are connected with the. circumstances which have given rise to this correspondence. To enable the United States to act understandingly and effectively in the premises, it is believed important that they should know whether Colombia holds it their duty under the existing treaty stipulations between the two countries, to aid, when called on by Colombia so to do, in suppressing such a movement as that contemplated in his excellency’s note, or any other disturbance confined to Colombian citizens, or whether the treaty guarantee is understood as limited in its application to attempts against the neutrality, sovereignty, and property of the isthmus by powers foreign to Colombia.
His excellency will not fail to appreciate at once the present necessity of the two governments being in accord as to the answers to be given to the preceding inquiries. This is especially important to the United States, because the preparations for meeting their duty must necessarily be influenced thereby.
The undersigned improves this opportunity to offer to his excellency the assurances of his highest consideration.
ALLAN A. BURTON.
His Excellency Señor M. Rojas Garrido, Secretary of the Interior and Foreign Relations, &c., & c., & c.
Two hours after the delivery of the foregoing note I received the following. I had the conference. The secretary simply told me what his answer would be. I told him I had only come to thank him for granting the interview, as it was unnecessary to enter into a conference about the method, inasmuch as I bad already sent my note; that I wished to confer with him before writing. He told me that Mariano Arasemena, the father-in law of United States Consul Rice, and Juan Mendoza had written from the isthmus to the government here the charges against the Panama railroad. I replied that the charges were utterly false, and so known to be by the writers of the letters. He said he could not give up their names except to me confidentially.