[Extract from Star and Herald, Panama (Republic of
Panama), Thursday, November 5, 1908.]
At last the State of Panama has awakened from the torpor which
appeared to have overpowered all branches of its population. The
people have at last come to the conclusion that there was no hope
for their future as long as they remained under the jurisdiction of
the national Government as a department of the Republic of Colombia,
and have risen in a body to protest to the injustice meditated by
the Bogotá Government toward them in refusing its sanction to the
Herran-Hay canal treaty, the passing of which treaty actually means
life or death to the State of Panama.
The cry of independence was started on the evening of the 3d and
taken up by every Isthmian as one body, as well as all those in
sympathy with the cause. Due to the celebrated Battalion Colombia,
under the command of their intrepid and universally beloved
commander, Gen. E. Huertas, being in sympathy with the movement and
declaring themselves on the side of the “separatists,” all
bloodshed, fighting, [Page 257] etc.,
has been avoided, the greatest order and unity reigning on all
sides. The populace repaired, without distinction, to the arsenal
and were supplied with the necessary arms with which to uphold their
independence.
The movement had been planned to take place later on, but was
precipitated by the arrival at Colon of 300 troops under command of
Generals Tovar and Amaya on the Cartagena on
the night of the 2d instant. The only deplorable incident has been
the killing of two Chinamen and part destruction of two buildings in
the city by some shells thrown from the cruiser Bogotá, the commander of which refused his adhesion to the
cause and threatened to bombard the city unless Generals Tovar and
Amaya and their staffs, who were imprisoned on the afternoon of the
3d while attempting to take command of the garrison in this city,
were released within three hours.
This request was not acceeded to, in consequence of which the threat
was carried out, but as the ship has got very little coal and
supplies there is no doubt that she will not be able to hold out
long and will have to surrender to the 21 de
Noviembre, which is being gotten ready for giving chase.
The consular corps met and signed the following formal protest:
In compliance with an invitation stuck up and distributed all
over the city by the municipal board, Demetrio H. Brid,
president, a public meeting of all the corporations, civilians,
military and religious bodies took place at 3 p.m. yesterday at
the Cathedral Park, where the act of independence was signed by
the members of the municipality, the chiefs of the Provisional
Government, etc., after which patriotic speeches were delivered
in profusion.
The Provisional Government has been composed of the following
gentlemen: José Agustin Arango, Federico Boyd, and Tomás Arias,
with the following ministers: State, E. A. Morales; treasury, M.
E. Amador; justice, C. A. Mendoza; foreign relations, F. V. de
la Espriella; war and navy, N. A. de Obarrio.
[Page 258]
From latest information we regret to state that Colon does not
appear inclined to join the movement for separation. A
commission from that city arrived yesterday evening to consult
with the chiefs of the Provisional Government here, and we
sincerely hope that the differences of opinion existing may be
amicably settled in order to avoid all disturbance. The
manifesto and declaration of independence we have translated for
the benefit of our English readers.
We voice the sentiments of one and all, natives as well as
foreigners, in wishing great prosperity to the new Republic.
Hurrah for the Republic of Panama!
Hurrah for the third of November!
declaration of
independence.
In the city of Panama, capital of the district of the same name,
at 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the 4th day of November, 1903,
the municipal council by its own right assembled, there being
present the following members of the city council: Aizpuru,
Rafael; Arango, Ricarclo M.; Arias, F. Agustin; Arosemena,
Fabio; Brid, Demetrio, H.; Chiari, R. José Maria; Cucalon, P.;
Manuel, J.; Dominguez, Alcides; Lewis, Samuel; Linares, Enrique;
McKay, Oscar M.; Mendez, Manuel Maria, and Vallarino, Dario, the
mayor of the district and the municipal attorney, and having for
its exclusive object to debate regarding the situation in which
the country is at present, and to decide regarding what should
be most convenient toward the tranquillity for the development
and aggrandizement of the citizens that constitute the
ethnographic and political entity denominated the Isthmus of
Panama.
Councilmen Arias, F., Arosemena, Chiari, Brid, Cucalon, B.,
Aizpuru, Lewis, and Linares carefully took under special
consideration the historical facts by virtue of which the
Isthmus of Panama, by its own free will and in hopes of
procuring for itself the ample benefits of right and liberty,
cut asunder, on the 28th of November, 1821, its ties from Spain,
and spontaneously joined its destiny to that of the great
Republic of Colombia. Reflections were made tending to show that
the union of the Isthmus with the old and modern Colombia did
not produce the benefits that were expected from this act, and
on mature consideration particular mention was made of the great
and incessant injury that has been caused to the Isthmus of
Panama in its material and moral interests at all times by the
governments of the nation which have succeeded each other during
the intervals of the federation, as well as those of the
centralization—injuries which, instead of being looked after and
patriotically remedied by those whose duty it was, were being
augmented each day and increasing in importance with a
persistency and ignorance that has exterminated in the cities of
the Department of Panama the inclinations which were
spontaneously felt for Colombia, thus demonstrating to them
that, their cup of bitterness overflowing and all hope of the
future being lost, the moment had arrived in which to dissolve
certain ties which were a drawback to civilization, which placed
insurmountable barriers to all progress, and which, on the
whole, has produced unhappiness, upsetting and undoing the ends
of the political union in which they entered, moved by the
necessity to satisfy the desire of prospering within the right
respected and liberty assured.
In view of the circumstances mentioned, the municipal council of
the district of Panama, as a faithful interpreter of the
sentiments of those they represent, declares in a solemn form
that the people under their jurisdiction from to-day and
henceforth sever their ties with Colombia in order to form, with
the other towns of the Department of Panama that accept the
separation and unite with them, the State of Panama, so as to
constitute a republic with an independent government,
democratic, representative, and responsible, that would tend to
the happiness of the natives and of the other inhabitants of the
territory of the Isthmus.
In order to practically attain the fulfillment of the resolution
of the peoples of Panama of emancipating themselves from the
Government of Colombia, making use of their autonomy in order to
dispose of their destiny, to establish a new nationality free
from all foreign elements, the municipal council of the district
of Panama, for itself and in the name of the other municipal
councils of the department, places the administration, working,
and direction of affairs, temporarily and while the new Republic
be constituted, in a board of government composed of Messrs.
José Agustin Arango, Federico Boyd, and Tomás Arias, in whom and
without any reserve whatsoever it gives powers, authorizations,
and faculties necessary and sufficient for the satisfactory
compliance of the duties which in the name of the Fatherland are
confided to them.
It was ordered that the inhabitants of Panama be assembled to an
open council in order to submit for their approval the ordinance
that the present minutes contain, and which was signed by the
officers and members of the corporation present.
[Page 259]
Demetrio H. Brid, R. Aizpuru, A. Arias F., Manuel J. Cucalon P.,
Fabio Arosemena, Oscar M. McKay, Alcides Dominguez, Enrique
Linares, J. M. Chiari R., Dario Vallarino, S. Lewis, Manuel M.
Mendez.
The Secretary of the council, Ernesto J. Goti.
In our next issue we will publish the very extensive list of the
signers of the above declaration.
manifesto.
The transcendental act that by a spontaneous movement the
inhabitants of the Isthmus of Panama have just executed is the
inevitable consequence of a situation which has become graver
daily.
Long is the recital of the grievances that the inhabitants of the
Isthmus have suffered from their Colombian brothers; but those
grievances would have been withstood with resignation for the
sake of harmony and national union had its separation been
possible and if we could have entertained well-founded hopes of
improvement and of effective progress under the system to which
we were submitted by that Republic. We have to solemnly declare
that we have the sincere and profound conviction that all the
hopes were futile and useless, all the sacrifices on our
part.
The Isthmus of Panama has been governed by the Republic of
Colombia with the narrow-mindedness that in past times were
applied to their colonies by the European nations—the isthmian
people and territory was a source of fiscal resources and
nothing more. The contracts and negotiations regarding the
railroad and the Panama Canal and the national taxes collected
in the Isthmus have netted to Colombia tremendous sums which we
will not detail, not wishing to appear in this exposition which
will go down to posterity as being moved by a mercenary spirit,
which has never been nor is our purpose; and of these large sums
the Isthmus has not received the benefit of a bridge for any of
its numerous rivers, nor the construction of a single road
between its towns, nor of any public building, nor of a single
college, and has neither seen any interest displayed in
advancing her industries, nor has a most infinite part of those
sums been applied toward her prosperity.
A very recent example of what we have related above is what has
occurred with the negotiations of the Panama Canal, which, when
taken under consideration by Congress, was rejected in a summary
manner. There were a few public men who expressed their adverse
opinion, on the ground that the Isthmus of Panama alone was to
be favored by the opening of the canal by virtue of a treaty
with the United States, and that the rest of Colombia would not
receive any direct benefits of any sort by that work, as if that
way of reasoning, even though it be correct, would justify the
irreparable and perpetual damage which would be caused to the
Isthmus by the rejection of the treaty in the manner in which it
was done, which was equivalent to the closing of the doors to
future negotiations.
The people of the Isthmus, in view of such notorious causes, have
decided to recover their sovereignty and begin to form a part of
the society of the free and independent nations, in order to
work out its own destiny, to insure its future in a stable
manner, and discharge the duties which it is called on to do by
the situation of its territory and its immense richness.
To that we, the initiators of the movement effected, aspire and
have obtained a unanimous approval.
We aspire to the formation of a true republic, where tolerance
will prevail, where the law should be the invariable guide of
those governing and those governed, where effective peace be
established, which consists in the frequent and harmonious play
of all interests and all activities, and where, finally,
civilization and progress will find perpetual stability.
At the commencement of the life of an independent nation we fully
appreciate the responsibilities that state means, but we have
profound faith in the good sense and patriotism of the isthmian
people, and we possess sufficient energy to open our way by
means of labor to a happy future without any worry or any
danger.
At separating from our brothers of Colombia we do it without any
hatred and without any joy. Just as a son withdraws from his
paternal roof, the isthmian people in adopting the lot it has
chosen have done it with grief, but in compliance with the
supreme and inevitable duty it owes to itself—that of its own
preservation and of working for its own welfare.
We therefore begin to form a part among the free nations of the
world, considering Colombia as a sister nation, with which we
shall be whenever circumstances may require it, and for whose
prosperity we have the most fervent and sincere wishes.
-
José Agustin
Arango.
-
Federico Boyd.
-
Tomas Arias.
