The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Northcott.
Washington, October 4, 1909.
Your September 29, 6 p.m. In conversation you may say to the Colombian minister for foreign affairs that the treaties of the United States with Colombia and Panama were negotiated in connection with and in facilitation of the settlement between Colombia and Panama, which the United States used its friendly offices to bring about. The three treaties so negotiated stand or fall together. No substitutionary treaty could be considered without harmonious agreement of all three parties. You may express your personal belief that no such agreement could be reached on terms as advantageous to all three as the treaties now pending, if, indeed, in the light of subsequent happenings, any tripartite agreement were likely.