of  theirs  rendered  our  attendance  there  de-  Among  the  topics  enumerated  in  offi-
sirable. They  had  given  us  notice  that  in  cial  papers  published  by  the  republic  of
the  novelty  of  their  situation  and  in  the  Colombia,  and  adverted  to  in  the  corre-
spirit  of  deference  to  our  experience  they  spondence  now  communicated  to  the
would  be  pleased  to  have  the  benefit  of  our  House,  as  intended  to  be  presented  for
friendly  counsel. To  meet  the  temper  with  discussion  at  Panama,  there  is  scarcely
which  this  proposal  was  made  with  a  cold  one  in  which  the  result  of  the  meeting
repulse  was  not  thought  congenial  to  that  will  not  deeply  affect  the  interests  of  the
warm  interest  in  their  welfare  with  which  United  States. Even  those  in  which  the
the  people  and  government  of  the  Union  belligerent  states  alone  will  take  an  active
had  hitherto  gone  hand  in  hand  through  part  will  have  a  powerful  effect  upon  the
the  whole  progress  of  their  revolution. To  state  of  our  relations  with  the  American,
insult  them  by  a  refusal  of  their  overture,  and  probably  with  the  principal  Euro-
and  then  invite  them  to  a  similar  assembly  pean,  states. Were  it  merely  that  we
to  be  called  by  ourselves,  was  an  expe-  might  be  correctly  and  speedily  informed
dient  which  never  presented  itself  to  the  ol  the  proceedings  of  the  congress,  and
mind. I  would  have  sent  ministers  to  the  the  progress  and  issue  of  their  nego-
meeting  had  it  been  merely  to  give  them  tiations,  I  should  hold  it  advisable  that
such  advice  as  they  might  have  desired,  we  should  have  an  accredited  agency  with
even  with  reference  to  their  own  interests,  them,  placed  in  such  confidential  rela-
not  involving  ours. I  would  have  sent  tions  with  the  other  members  as  would
them  had  it  been  merely  to  explain  and  insure  the  authenticity  and  the  safe  and
set  forth  to  them  our  reasons  for  declining  early  transmission  of  its  reports. Of  the
any  proposal  of  specific  measures  to  which  same  enumerated  topics  are  the  prepara-
they  might  desire  our  concurrence,  but  tion  of  a  manifesto  setting  forth  to  the
which  we  might  deem  incompatible  with  world  the  justice  of  their  cause  and  the
our  interests  or  our  duties. 