Rojas Garrido to Allan A. Burton, September 14, 1866

Señor Garrido to Mr. Burton

The undersigned, the secretary of the interior and foreign relations of the United States of Colombia, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the communication which the Hon. Allan A. Burton, minister resident of the United States of America, was pleased to address to this department under date of the 12th instant, in answer to one which he had received from the same relating to the part which the agents of the railroad company might take in a projected revolutionary movement, with the object of segregating the sovereign State of Panama from the Colombian Union; and in obedience to the instructions which he has received from the President of the Union, the undersigned will proceed to answer the said communication of the 12th instant.

With respect to the alleged interference of the agents of the Panama Eailroad Company in the revolution which, according to rumor, and even data which the government has, is being set on foot there for the purpose of severing the isthmus from the Union, the executive power, taking into consideration the respectability of that company and the prudence and circumspection which must be supposed to govern its members, receives with pleasure the explanations concerning it in the communication of the Hon. Mr. Burton.

As to the interposition due from the government of the United States by the treaty existing between the two nations in the event that an insurrection by armed force should take place on the isthmus for the purpose of segregating it from the Union, the government of Colombia understands that, if such a movement should be effected with the view of making that section of the republic independent and attaching it to any other foreign nation or power, that is to say, in order to transfer by any means whatever the sovereignty which Colombia justly possesses over that territory to any foreign nation or power whatever, the case will then have arisen when the United States of America, in fulfilment of their obligation contracted by the 35th article of the treaty existing between the two republics, should come to the assistance of Colombia to maintain its sovereignty over the isthmus; but not when the disturbances are confined to Colombian citizens.

In conclusion, it affords the undersigned pleasure to renew to the Hon. Mr. Burton the protests of the distinguished consideration and esteem with which he has the honor to subscribe himself, his very attentive, obsequious servant,