and sovereignty of all the Central American Republics. The Senate will
judge how far these objects have been effected.

If there be any who would desire to seize and annex any portion of the
territories of these weak sister republics to the American Union, or to
extend our dominion over them, I do not concur in their policy; and I
wish it to be understood in reference to that subject that I adopt the
views entertained, so far as I know, by all my predecessors.

The principles by which I have been regulated in the negotiation of this
treaty are in accordance with the sentiments well expressed by my
immediate predecessor on the 10th of February, 1847, when he
communicated to the Senate the treaty with New Granada for the
protection of the railroad at Panama. It is in accordance with the whole
spirit of the resolution of the Senate of the 3d of March, 1835,
referred to by President Polk, and with the policy adopted by President
Jackson immediately after the passage of that resolution, who dispatched
an agent to Central America and New Granada "to open negotiations with
those Governments for the purpose of effectually protecting, by suitable
treaty stipulations with them, such individuals or companies as might
undertake to open a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans by the construction of a ship canal across the isthmus which
connects North and South America, and of securing forever by such
stipulations the free and equal right of navigating such canal to all
such nations on the payment of such reasonable tolls as might be
established to compensate the capitalists who should engage in such
undertaking and complete the work."

I also communicate herewith a copy of the correspondence between the
American Secretary of State and the British plenipotentiary at the time