Mr. Beaupré to Mr.
May.
[Telegram.]
Bogotá, November 9,
1903.
(Received November 11, 12.30
a.m.)
November 9, 9 a.m. I am desired to inform you by General Reyes that Gen.
Bedronel Ospina and Lucas Cabellero, prominent party leaders, accompany
him on his mission.
Very great excitement here. Large crowds paraded streets yesterday,
crying “Down with Marroquin.” Mass meeting denounced him; called for a
change of government. Hundreds gathered at the palace, and their orator,
a prominent national general, addressed the President, calling for his
resignation. Troops dispersed gathering, wounding several. Martial law
is declared here, and the city is being guarded by soldiers. Legation of
the United States under strong guard, but apparently no indications of
hostile demonstration.
The residence of Lorenzo Marroquin attacked with stones.
Referring to the questions presented by minister for foreign affairs in
my telegram of 7th, I have preserved silence, but bear in mind page 578, Foreign Relations, part 3,
1866, and instructions 134 to minister to the United States of
Colombia, 1865.
Department of State,
Washington, November 9,
1865.
No. 134.
[Note.—For convenience the
above-mentioned instruction, No. 134, is reproduced, as
follows:]
To Allan A. Burton, Esq.,
etc.,
Bogotá.
Sir: The question which has recently arisen
under the thirty-fifth article of the treaty with New Granada, as to
the obligation of this Government to comply with a requisition of
the President of the United States of Colombia for a force to
protect the Isthmus of Panama from invasion by a body of insurgents
of that country has been submitted to the consideration of the
Attorney-General. His opinion is that neither the text nor the
spirit of the stipulation in that article, by which the United
States engages to preserve the neutrality of the Isthmus of Panama,
imposes an obligation on this Government to comply with a
requisition like that referred to. The purpose of the stipulation
was to guarantee the Isthmus against seizure or invasion by a
foreign power only. It could not have been contemplated that we were
to become a party to any civil war in that country by defending the
Isthmus against another party. As it may be presumed, however, that
our object in entering into such a stipulation was to secure the
freedom of transit across the Isthmus, if that freedom should be
endangered or obstructed, the employment of force on our part to
prevent this would be a question of grave expediency to be
determined by circumstances. The Department is not aware that there
is yet occasion for a decision upon this point.
Your despatches to No. ——, inclusive, have been received.
I am, sir, etc.,
