Minister Northcott
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Bogota, October 7,
1909.
No. 14.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that on the 4th
day of October the legation received from Dr. Carlos Calderón, minister
for foreign affairs, the note referred to in this legation’s No. 12 as
being promised in a verbal interview with the minister. On Wednesday,
October 6, in company with Secretary Hibben, I had another interview
with Dr. Calderon, and in accordance with the department’s cable of 12
noon, October 4, 1909, informed him “that the treaties of the United
States with Colombia and Panama were negotiated in connection with and
in facilitation of a settlement between Colombia and Panama, which the
United States used its friendly offices to bring about.” That “the three
treaties so negotiated stand or fall together,” and that “no
substitutionary treaties could be considered without harmonious
agreement of all three parties.” I also expressed the personal belief
that no such agreement could be reached on terms as advantageous to all
three as the treaties now pending, if, in the light of subsequent
happenings, any tripartite argeement were likely.
Dr. Calderón replied that it had been his conception that an agreement
between Panama and Colombia would follow upon the completion of the
negotiations which he had proposed between Colombia and the United
States, but that in a day or two he would write the legation a note
expressing the Colombian Government’s views as to the treaty with
Panama, and would then like an answer in writing to his note.
I have, etc.,
[Page 403]
[Inclosure.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Minister Northcott.
Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Bogota, October 2, 1909.
Mr. Minister: In the various conferences
which I have had the honor to hold with your excellency in reference
to the treaty, signed by the Secretary of State of the United
States, the Hon. Elihu Root, and the Colombian plenipotentiary,
Senor Cortes, on the 9th of January, I have thought it opportune to
advise your excellency that the consensus of public opinion in this
country is notoriously adverse to that compact.
In the judgment of the Colombian Government, if this were placed
before the legislature it would be disapproved without
vacillation.
The Colombian Government, desirous of considering in the most
friendly way in its power the questions originating from the
proclamation of independence made by the Colombian Department of
Panama, November 3, 1903, has delayed until now the presenting of
this treaty, to which I have referred, to the Congress for its
consideration, and desires that your excellency inform it whether
the Government of the United States, in view of existing
circumstances, would be pleased to have the Government of Colombia
abandon the submission of this treaty to the Congress for its
consideration. In case that the Government of the United States,
persisting in the desire manifested by your excellency, of taking
under consideration, in questions relating to the interests of
Colombia, the desire of this nation, expressed by its constitutional
organs, prefer that the Government of Colombia abandon the
submission of the treaty to legislative approval, this ministry will
be found ready to enter into new negotiations with your excellency
in relation to those questions to which we have alluded if the
Government of the United States is similarly disposed.
I gladly avail myself, etc.,
