Santiago Perez to Señor Allan A. Burton, January 4, 1866

Mr. Perez to Mr. Burton,

Sir: In accordance with article 35 of the treaty between New Granada (now United States of Colombia) and the United States of North America, the government of this republic has permitted the transit of North American troops through the isthmus of Panama, in the sense of the instructions dictated in the department of the interior and foreign relations of Colombia, on the 13th of May last, of which the honorable minister resident of the United States of North America had acknowledged by an authorized copy of such document that was opportunely sent to him.

But this transit and the guarantee, by way of compensations which has been offered to the Colombian government have been a source of difficulties by which, unfortunately, the dignity of the republic has been compromised, and consequently the good relations of friendship which it now happily preserves with the American Union.

Of this, new testimony is given by the documents that the undersigned has had the honor to communicate to his honor with his note dated the 16th of October of last year, that bear relation to the acts of Rear-Admiral Pearson in the port of Panama.

The mail recently arrived from the Atlantic coast brought important data on the same subject, which the undersigned considers worthy of the serious attention of the American government, and of its minister resident in this capital.

As the facts to which he will make reference are not sufficiently detailed, perhaps for want of time, the undersigned, in having full knowledge of the circumstances that accompany them, will take the liberty to again renew the subject to the honorable minister, making on them such observations and demands as may be just, and appear well founded. The accompanying documents will inform his honor of the reclamation presented by the vice-consul of her Britannic Majesty in favor of the English subject Jos Heady for $114 60, which were violently taken from his store by the soldiers of the 14th regiment of the United States of North America, on the night of the 26th of August last.

In the month of November last, a regiment or brigade of the same troops crossed the isthmus en route for California. Some soldiers having deserted their chiefs, instead of appealing to the local authorities for the apprehension of the deserters, a picket of their own forces was designated for that purpose, which went armed and in a body reconnoitring the streets of the capital of the State.

The violent death of the British subject George Holmes, by an American soldier or mariner, is also a notable fact.

From the foregoing relation of facts, which the undersigned must, with due solemnity, and as soon as possible, call to the enlightened attention of his honor, in recognition of the respective grave demands, and from some former notes of the undersigned his honor will be convinced that the passage of North American troops, made as it has lately been done by the agents of the government of his honor, may occasion bloody collisions and lamentable abuses, aside from compromising the most sacred of all things, namely, the national sovereignty, which evidently is bound, not only for transgression already alluded to, but also for acts of jurisdiction exercised by North American military chiefs in Colombian territory; that this government is bound to preserve the most strict neutrality, and whose sovereignty is guaranteed to the national government.

In order to proceed in this important affair with due accord, once that the interests are consulted, the legitimacy of which his honor cannot less than recognize, the undersigned has thought it convenient, with the good designs of the two governments, one toward the other, to direct to his honor the present note, which he terminates in offering to the minister the assurance of his profound consideration.