[Inclosure—Translation.]
president’s message.
[Extracts.]
Colombia’s relations with all the countries with which she cultivates
friendship are cordial, and from all of them the government has
received, through the diplomatic representatives accredited in this
capital, not only assurances of their kindly feelings toward us, but
also the satisfaction with which they view the unanimous effort of
the nation to put an end forever to the fratricidal strifes which
for nearly a century have sapped its energies and to enter upon the
paths of prosperity and grandeur.
For the purpose of settling pending boundary and commercial questions
with Venezuela and Brazil diplomatic ministers have been accredited
to these two Republics. The one appointed for Venezuela is already
in Caracas, and the one who is to represent us in Brazil will leave
shortly for his post.
We trust that our neighbors will recognize and grant the justice we
ask of them, and in regard to Peru and Brazil we also trust that our
rights will be recognized in that vast and rich region of the
Amazon, explored and made known to the world by Colombians more than
by any others, and of which exploring party I had the honor to be
chief, as is shown in the report which, in the name of Colombia and
as its representative, I presented to the Second International
American Congress of Mexico. Said congress ordered a bronze tablet
to be made in memory of my two brothers with this inscription:
“The delegates to the Second International American Congress
assembled in Mexico in 1901 and 1902, to Nestor and Enrique Reyes,
killed in the service of American civilization.”
Pardon me for making reference to facts which concern me personally,
but I consider very important this resolution of the International
Congress of Mexico as a moral title of great value, which is in
addition to the legal titles which Colombia holds to the land washed
by the Putumayo and Caquetá, unknown deserts when my brothers and I
explored them, and which to-day are known to the world and mapped,
due chiefly to said explorations which were extended to the greater
part of the immense tract washed by the Amazon and its
tributaries.
There has been lately appointed a minister plenipotentiary to the
Government of the United States, and who will soon leave for his
post for the purpose of endeavoring to arrange pending questions
with that country growing out of recent events on the Isthmus of
Panama. Faithfully interpreting the national sentiment, the
government believes that it is contrary to the interests of the
Republic to postpone indefinitely the solution of these questions,
and consequently the necessary instructions will be given to the
minister who has been appointed to discuss said questions with a due
regard, in the first place, to the honor and dignity of the country,
and in the second place to its economical and material interests. If
our minister, in whose patriotism and capacity the government has
full confidence, should succeed in celebrating a treaty under such
conditions, said treaty will be submitted to your consideration in
accordance with the requirements of the constitution.
We should not lose sight of the fact that the opening of the Panama
Canal will be an efficacious and powerful aid in every sense to the
development and progress of the nation, as we are the most favorably
situated to reap the benefits from this gigantic undertaking.
The departments of Cauca and of the Atlantic coast give proof of this
assertion, in view of the great increase in their commerce during
the works of the old French company from 1880 to 1888.
