in the river, the violent hurricanes on the lakes, the unhealthiness of the climate, and the great distance between the two oceans, it being more than treble that of the route by the river Chagres;"-2, A remark by a number of distinguished citizens of New Granada, members of a patriotic society styled the "Friends of their Country," that no other than the New Granadian route "appears to us worthy to occupy the attention of any enterprising person, considering the facilities which the narrowness of the Isthmus and the lowness of the cordilleras of the Andes offer;"-3, The following opinion of another distinguished citizen of New Granada, Doctor Pedro Gual:* "From the slight and imperfect knowledge which I possess in relation to the Isthmus of Panama, the project of opening a canal for the passage of heavy vessels from one ocean to the other appears to me a chimera; I am certain that this is impracticable north of Panama. **** I am firmly of opinion that, in the present condition of the civilized world, the opening of a canal for vessels of a heavy tonnage is a chimera, and that if it be possible to put the plan into execution for vessels of lighter draught, this must be done to the south of Panama, and cannot be accomplished until the gradual improvement of the Isthmus shall furnish the means of acquiring more correct geographical and topographical knowledge of that entire country than is now at our command;"-and 4th, a general plea of notoriety, derived, however, only from the latitude of New Granada, thus stated: "This opinion is so universal and decisive, that the public attention has long since been altogether diverted from the consideration of a communication by the San Juan river." †

* We may here state that this gentleman, well known in this country as a man of the most eminent character and ability, Bolivar's Secretary of Foreign Affairs, has since changed the opinion here expressed in relation to a ship-canal. From more full examination of the subject, and elevation of views to the level of the present state of science in Europe and America, he has become convinced, not only of the practicability of a ship-canal, but that it is the only mode of effecting a junction between the oceans entitled to consideration. He is now in Europe, having been induced to leave the retirement in which he has lived since the death of his friend Bolivar, by the urgent solicitations of his countrymen to undertake a special mission abroad of peculiar delicacy and importance, in connection with the great national debt which has so long hung like a millstone round the neck of the Republic of Colombia, now divided into the three Republics of Venezuela, Ecnador, and New Granada.

+ That Colonel Biddle did not regard the plan of a ship canal as impossible, appears from the following remark in his letter to Mr. McAfee, designed as the opening of his negotiations with the New Granadian government: "It appears to me that the long contemplated project of uniting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans by a ship navigation must be reserved for the patriotic exertions of a future generation, when the union, prosperity and resources of South America may be sufficient to accomplish that project, without regard to its expense, or the revenue which it may yield. At present, no well-advised private capitalists could enter into such a scheme without the prospect of utter ruin." It is evident that Colonel Biddle's ideas on the subject narrowed themselves down, from the broader scope of those which dictated his commission, to the dimensions of such exertions of "private capitalists" as would be within the compass of the resources on which he relied for the accomplishment of his own personal views.

This was all the evidence in relation to one of the two great branches

of the investigation which Colonel Biddle was commissioned to make, personally, searchingly, and authentically, that has resulted to the country from his mission. The fact is simply, that he went out purely for a purpose of speculation, using his public commission, most unrighteously, solely as a means for the furtherance of his personal views, and entirely disregarding all the duties it imposed, except in so far as they coincided with the objects of those private interests.

He arrived at Panama on the first of December, where, as he states, the lively interest felt in the design of his visit procured him an enthusiastic reception; and where he found that all confidence in the Baron de Thierry was destroyed, and his scheme condemned as impracticable. On his journey across the Isthmus, up the river Chagres to the head of its navigation at the town of Cruces, and thence across to Panama, he had become perfectly satisfied of the facility with which "can be secured, by steamboats and railroad cars, a safe conveyance from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean in six hours." He found the river navigable, at all seasons of the year, for steamboats drawing from five to six feet of water; and that as the current does not exceed three miles per hour, the trip could be performed from Chagres, at the mouth of the river of the same name, to Cruces (forty-three miles by the course of the river) in five hours; while from Cruces to Panama, a distance of only fifteen miles, the country presented no greater difficulties for a railroad than that from Washington to Baltimore.

Confident in this "most perfect conviction of the facility with which this enterprise could be accomplished," he proceeded to the capital, Bogotà, after a residence in Panama of a little over six weeks, in communication with the society of "Friends of their Country," above alluded to. He reached Bogotà on the thirteenth of March, after a fatiguing journey of fifty-four days. Here he lost no time in laying before the Government, through the medium of Mr. McAfee, an overture for the enterprise for which he was desirous of contracting. This was laid by the Executive, General Santander, before Congress, and a committee appointed to confer with Colonel Biddle; which finally reported in accordance with his views, and a corresponding decree was passed by both Houses of Congress, on the eighteenth of May, after a debate which had occupied thirty-eight days. Of this report Mr. Biddle gives no copy in his own report to his Government, though he alludes to one as enclosed. By the Constitution of New Granada the Executive is allowed eight days within which to return a bill, with his sanction or veto. On the day succeeding its passage, Colonel Biddle was informed by the President, that a proposition had been made to him by an association of New Granadian citizens, offering better terms to the Government for the same privileges granted to Colonel Biddle in the pending law. At this Colonel Biddle appears to have felt greatly indignant, though on what grounds does not appear. He transmitted a note,

through the Chargé, offering a guarantee of a million of dollars for the performance of his proposed contract, which Mr. McAfee sustains by a declaration, that he, "being instructed by his Government to render to Colonel Biddle every necessary aid, has no doubt of his ability and intention to carry this important work into complete operation, and that he can give to the Government of New Granada any additional security that may be required." President Santander, notwithstanding, returned the bill to Congress recommending the passage of a new law, offering the privilege to the most favorable bidder, and making the offer of the New Granadian Company the maximum of concessions to be made by the Government. A law was passed, in accordance with this recommendation, on the sixth of June; and under its provisions the privilege was finally granted, by an Executive decree dated June the twenty-second, to Colonel Biddle, in his own name and in behalf of his contemplated associates in the United States, and to the individuals composing the New Granadian company, jointly-a compromise and union of their conflicting interests having meanwhile been privately effected between them, on the following basis, as stated by Colonel Biddle in his report to the Secretary of State: "Two-thirds of the stock is the property of Charles Biddle and such citizens of the United States as he may associate with him; the remaining one-third is the property of the New Granadians. The office of the company is to be in Philadelphia, and all instalments are to be paid there; and the number of directors is to be in the same proportion as the quantity of stock." The work was to be commenced within three years after the date of the decree, and to be terminated within three years thereafter, under a penalty, to be secured upon unincumbered property, of twenty-five thousand dollars-which penalty, it is to be presumed, has been paid, and the privilege forfeited, by the present date.*

Colonel Biddle's return to the United States in September was shortly after followed by his death, December the twenty-first-the announcement of which was the only satisfactory reply to the demand addressed to him by the State Department for explanation of his most extraordinary disregard of the main objects of his mission. It is not without regret that we have felt compelled to speak with the severity above expressed, in relation to one placed, by so sudden an interruption of all the schemes upon the

execution of which he was just about to enter, under the shelter of the maxim for which, within proper limits, we feel all due reverence, that de mortuis nil nisi bonum. We cannot, however, repress a feeling of indignant regret, that a mission which had its origin in such grand and liberal national views, and the faithful performance of which could have laid a broad and secure foundation upon which we might, by this time, have probably witnessed this magnificent project already rising to successful achievement, should have been seized upon by the all-pervading and all-demoralizing spirit of speculation so rife at that period in our country, to be perverted into a mere instrument of petty private interest. We are desirous also, by casting the whole burthen of the failure of this effort, the first attempted by the Government of the United States, upon the quarter where its responsibility justly belongs, to obviate the objection that might be derived by some, from this first failure, to a repetition of what we are well assured is the only proper initiatory step in the enterprise, namely, a more carefully selected special mission of investigation.

The Chargé des Affaires at Bogotà, Mr. McAfee, by no means appears in the business as entirely exempt from just censure; notwithstanding that his explanations, in reply to its first reprimand, appear to have been received as satisfactory by his own Government. It is true that the New Granadian Government was made sufficiently to understand that the Government of the United States had no connection with the private projects to the purposes of which their agent thus perverted a public function commissioned by his instructions for very different objects, and in a very different spirit. But it is also true that from the outset Colonel Biddle approached the New Granadian Government in a double capacity, incompatibly combined, of public functionary and private contractor; and that in introducing to that Government the propositions ad vanced by him in the latter capacity, the Chargé certainly gives to them at least the implied sanction and recommendation of his Government, writing in the following terms:

"The undersigned is instructed by his Government to render to Colonel Biddle every necessary aid and assistance; and the enclosed letter is submitted to the consideration of your excellency, under the hope that it will meet the approbation of the Government of New Granada; in which event, Colonel Biddle will submit his propositions in detail."

The Chargé could not have failed to be sensible of the flagrant departure by the special agent from the whole intent and spirit of his instructions, and ought not to have been induced to lend the aid of his own official position to a cooperation with such an abuse of an important public function for which the mere general recommendation of the latter to his good offices and civilities, alluded to above, in his letter of introduction, affords but a very slender apology. Mortifying disappointment having again been the upshot of the business, the New Granadian Government and citizens appear certainly entitled to lay to the doors of our accredited public representatives a portion at least of its responsibility. And for our part, we confess that we feel disposed to visit with some severity, upon all concerned in it a responsibility which is rendered so grave by the consideration of the glorious objects and the incalculable interests compromised by it.

We are happy, however, to be able to state that the attention of our Congress is still fixed upon it, the following resolution having been reported by the Committee on Roads and Canals, and adopted by the House of Representatives at the last session:

"Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to consider the expediency of opening or continuing negotiations with the Governments of other nations, and particularly with those, the territorial jurisdiction of which comprehends the Isthmus of Panama, and to which the United States have accredited ministers or agents, for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability of effecting a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, by the construction of a ship-canal across the Isthmus; and of securing forever, by suitable treaty stipulations, the free and equal right of navigating such canal to all nations, on the payment of reasonable tolls."

Nor should it here be omitted to mention that it is chiefly to the unresting exertions of Mr. Radcliff, the author of the able and interesting pamphlet before us, -exertions having their origin in a profound and disinterested enthusiasm which has long occupied his mind in relation to the subject, that are due the steps that have already been taken by our Government towards its promotion, and that still cherished interest in it out of which are yet destined, we trust, to proceed more effective and successful measures towards that end.

Such, then, is a general outline of the past history of this great project-still a project, after the several abortive efforts, which, as the reader has seen, have been attempted to make it the great reality which it is still, we trust, one day destined to be. Each of the two governments locally interested in the two respective routes, has made two distinct attempts to carry it into execution-the government of Central America by its contracts successively with Mr. Palmer's company and with the Dutch; and that of New Granada by those with the Baron de Thierry and Colonel Biddle. Both are now mortified and disgusted with repeated disappointment, but neither despairing. The whole ground, it now appears, lies entirely open, and the opportunity eminently favorable for renewed action, if only it can be brought to bear upon the object with a degree of force and will at all proportionate to the magnitude of the undertaking, and to the immense value of its certain future results.

In our next number we shall examine in detail the more important, and interesting question of the practicability of effecting this grand desideratum of external improvement.