Rojas Garrido to Allan A. Burton, June 29, 1866

Señor Garrido to Mr. Burton

UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA—DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND FOREIGN RELATIONS.

Bogota, June 29, 1866.

The undersigned, secretary of the interior and foreign relations of the United States of Colombia, has the honor to address the honorable Allan A. Burton, minister resident of the United States of America, by reason of the plausible explanations given by the government of the United States of America to that of Colombia, and which the honorable minister was pleased to communicate by his official letter of the 22d nstant.

The President of the republic has read with particular satisfaction the despat chreferred to in which has been estimated in its true light the occurrence which took place at the unfortunate event of the death of Mr. Alexander R. McKee, and the President of the sovereign State of Panama will therefore be cautioned that in any emergency which may arise on account of the abnormal state of things which still exists along the track of the railroad between Aspinwall and Panama, growing out of circumstances not unknown to the government of the United States, and the wrong interpretation which has been given to the contract with the Panama Railroad Company and even to the stipulations of the treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation between the two nations, he confine himself simply to reminding the consul of the United States, and any admiral or commodore that may be accidentally in that bay, of the necessity of their using their influence for the maintenance of good relations between the two republics; and that he report to the national government, the only authority having the right to treat with foreign governments about foreign affairs.

The President improves this opportunity to make known through the honorable minister resident to the American government the satisfaction which he has had in hearing of the conduct observed by the government of the United States, when during the late civil war the legation which deemed itself authorized to represent the Granadian confederation asked the intervention of the government of the United States, supposing that the case had arisen for demanding and obtaining it, in order to maintain the sovereignty of the nation on the isthmus. That circumspect policy of the American government, with the correct estimate placed on the facts which have led to this communication, have fixed definitely the meaning of the treaty, and will serve as a point of departure for whatever political emergency may occur.

The President of the United States of Colombia hopes that the honorable minister resident of the United States of America, in giving account of this despatch to his government, will be pleased to make known to it the appreciation and respect with which he has received the explanations given by the honorable minister concerning the particular referred to.

The undersigned reiterates to the honorable Mr. Burton the assurances of his high consideration with which he has the honor to be his honor’s very attentive servant,