File No. 15778/28–29.
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Squiers.
Washington, December 10, 1908.
Mr. Bacon refers to legation’s No. 390, of November 27, and instructs Mr. Squiers, by direction of the President, to inform the Government of Panama that the President greatly regrets the unsatisfactory nature of the reply of the minister of foreign affairs to Mr. Weitzel’s note of November 12 relating to the unfortunate affair which took place in the city of Panama on September 28 last. Says it is a mistake to describe the affair as merely an encounter between private citizens and the sailors of the American naval vessel Buffalo; that the most serious features of the occurrence consisted in the brutal and criminal conduct of the police officers of Panama toward sailors, unarmed, wearing the uniform and entitled to the protection of the United States; that repeated occurrence of criminal injury and brutality to sailors and citizens of the United States on the part of members of the police force of Panama make it necessary that, in the discharge of the highest duty toward its own citizens, and following the dictates of self-respect, the Government of the United States shall, in the most positive manner, insist upon immediate action by the Panaman Government to render a repetition of such occurrences impossible in the future. Says conditions upon the Isthmus are such that United States vessels can not refrain from visiting the ports on either side of the route of transit. Instructs Mr. Squiers to courteously but firmly inform the Government of Panama, that, inasmuch as such visits must necessarily continue, and as the United States cruiser fleet is due to arrive at Panama on Saturday of this week, the United States Government must insist that action be taken immediately for the punishment of the offending members of the police force and for the prevention of further abuses and disorders similar to the occurrences of September 28, in accordance with department’s communication of November 12, and to call upon the Government of Panama for explicit assurances before the close of Friday, the 11th instant, that such action will immediately be taken, and before the arrival of the cruiser fleet. Says if such assurances are not given, and such action is not taken before the arrival of the cruiser fleet, the President of the United States will consider it his duty to direct the officer in command of the fleet to land from his ships a sufficient force, under arms, to maintain order in the city of Panama and anywhere else on the Isthmus where necessary, to protect the men while in transit and on shore leave in the exercise of the authority assured to the United States by the terms of the treaty between Panama and the United States.
Mr. Bacon adds that the President hopes that no such action will be necessary, but, failing the proper and necessary action by the authorities of Panama to deal promptly and sternly with their own officers, he deems that his duty in the premises will be clear.