Allan A. Burton to William II. Seward, September 11, 1866

Mr. Burton to Mr. Seward

Sir: I have the honor to enclose the annexed correspondence relating to the alleged wrongful landing of armed United States marines in the city of Panama on the 15th of July last.

I have learned from an unofficial source that the affair is greatly magnified by the Colombian government; that it originated in the naval officers mistaking rockets sent up in the city by the populace on a holy-day, for the signs agreed upon by the United States consul, naval officers, and Panama railroad for the landing of forces to protect American citizens and property. To ascertain this fact was probably the object of the secretary in attempting, in the conclusion of his note A, to prescribe to me the manner in which I should proceed in my investigation of the case.

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On receiving the secretary’s note I obtained a formal conference on the subject, in which I assured him that the case would be inquired into, and such measures taken as the result might require. I took occasion to say to him that while the government of the United States would be always ready to perform its duties to other nations, it was but just that it should expect the same from them, and that I was constrained to say that Colombia had for some time past been inexcusably at fault in this respect by failing to hear the reclamations for wrongs to American citizens to which I had been calling attention for the last three years. That unless the legation in my charge could be listened to in a spirit of prompt, friendly justice, it was, in my opinion, useless to maintain it here, and that I should so report to my government.

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He acknowledged the justice of what I had said, and promised that all should be attended to at the earliest possible day.

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I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,