Mr. Burton to Mr. Seward
Sir: After sending my No. 218, I made a short memorandum of the views therein expressed as to the answer to be given to the complaints made by the Colombian government against the alleged misconduct of United States naval officers and soldiers on the isthmus, and handed it in confidence to the secretary of foreign relations, stating that it contained only some immature ideas of my own, which, in the absence of any intimation on the subject from my government, I submitted for his consideration with a view to the adjustment of these matters when I should have received special directions to that end. He returned the memorandum a few days afterwards, saying that he had shown it to the President, who was much pleased with the suggestions, and had authorized him to say to me that they were fully satisfactory on the points to which they had direct reference. The recommendation to make indemnity to Heady was not inserted in the paper I handed the secretary. I only submitted the ideas of my despatch No. 218, commencing with the words in the second paragraph, “regrets that any misunderstanding,” and ending with “United States consuls at the termini of the road for their guidance.”
As stated in my No. 212, I had obtained an assurance from this government that no further action in these matters would be taken for the present. Finding, however, that the members of congress from the States of Panama and Bolivar had excited a strong prejudice in the minds of members from other States, and that a resolution would probably be adopted condemning the proceedings of our officers on the isthmus, to be followed by a stringent law regulating the transit of United States troops, I deemed it expedient to take the step I have mentioned in order to defeat, if possible, such action by the congress; supposing the secretary would of course communicate confidentially the points I had suggested to a few of the leading members of that body. A bill, well calculated to embarrass our rights on the isthmus, had, however, been prepared, which was afterwards rejected As will be seen from the senate proceedings in Diario Oficial, [Page 522] No. 574, the bill received only three votes, those of the secretaries of state of Panama and Bolivar and of another senator from the latter State; its movers and advocates voting against it. For the present the whole affair is put to rest.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.