CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I, H. A. Gudger, consul-general of the United States of America for Panama and the dependencies thereof, do hereby certify that I have examined carefully the original documents in the office of the General Government at Panama, sent in by the various municipalities throughout the Republic, approving the action of the provisional government, or junta, in ratifying the canal treaty with the United States of America, and that I have compared these original documents with those set forth in the printed sheet of the Gaceta Oficial, Numero Extraordinario, dated December 12, 1903, set forth above, and to which this certificate is attached, and that the publications therein set forth, in printed form, from the municipalities of Calobre, Panama, Aguadulce, Nata, Santiago de Veraguas, Sona, Montijo, Pese, Los Santos, Las Minas, Ocu, and La Chorrera are a true, correct, and perfect copy of the originals on file in the office of the Government of the Republic of Panama. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of this consulate general, this the 14th day of December, 1903. H. A. GUDGER, United States Consul-General. [Official Gazette, extraordinary number.] PANAMA, December 16, 1903. Advice No. 17 (of December 6, 1903), by which ratification is given. The municipal council of the district of Buenavista, considering— That on the 2d instant the treaty signed at Washington on the 18th of November last for the excavation of an interoceanic canal was approved by the junta of the provisional government; That in this agreement the independence of the Republic of Panama is guaranteed by the Government of the United States; That for reasons of external security it is indispensable to proceed with celerity to the approval of the treaty; That, by the treaty, the aspiration of the people of the Isthmus of Panama is realized that the canal be excavated for its own service and for the benefit of universal commerce; It is agreed: SOLE ARTICLE. To give its approbation to the treaty solemnized between His Excellency Mr. Felipe Bunau-Varilla, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama, and His Excellency Mr. John Hay, Secretary of State of the Republic of the United States of America. Advice No. 16 (December 4, 1903), by which approval is given. The municipal council of Porto Bello, considering That on the 2d instant the treaty negotiated at Washington the 18th of last November for the construction of the interoceanic canal was approved by the junta of the provisional Government of Panama; That in that treaty the independence of the Republic of Panama is guaranteed by the Government of the United States; That for reasons of external security it is indispensable to proceed with dispatch in the approval of the treaty; That the treaty fulfills the aspirations of the people of the Isthmus of Panama that the canal be built for its own benefit and for the benefit of universal commerce; It is agreed: SOLE ARTICLE. To approve the treaty entered into between His Excellency Mr. Felipe Bunau-Varilla, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama, and His Excellency Mr. John Hay, Secretary of State of the Republic of the United States of America. Given at Portobelo, the 4th of December, 1903. The president, The secretary, CELSO N. RODRIGUEZ. JOSÉ R. ARROYO. Republic of Panama, province of Colon. Municipal mayorship of the District of Portobela, December 7, 1903. Let this be carried into effect and published. Resolution approved by the municipal council of David in special session December 11, 1903. The municipal council of David, considering: First. That on the 3d of this month the municipal council of Panama, as the principal guardian of the public interests of the Republic of Panama, and at whose initiation the proclamation of independence of the Republic was made, has issued a resolution approving the treaty negotiated at Washington, the 18th of November last, between Señor Philippe Bunau-Varilla, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama, and His Excellency Mr. John Hay, Secretary of State of the United States of North America, concerning the excavation of an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama; Second. That the aforesaid treaty has merited the approval of the provisional government of Panama, as is shown by the specific ratification which the members of said junta made of such agreement; Third. That the Panama Canal means for the Isthmus, among other things, consecration of labor and security in the well-being of the country. It is agreed To give public assent to the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty, so that as soon as possible a beginning may be given to the work of excavation of the canal across the Isthmus of Panama; To recognize the action taken by the members of the junta of the provisional government in having approved, with the celerity which the case demanded, the HayBunau-Varilla treaty, and to extend to them a vote of approval for their conscientious zeal of the interests of the Republic of Panama which were intrusted to their care; To send a copy of this resolution to the provisional government junta, and to publish it in separate sheets for the information of the public. Given at David, in the conference hall, the 11th of December, 1903. At the capital in the municipal district of Las Palmas, on the 3d day of the month of December, 1903, in the Municipal Hall, the council of the district met in solemn session with the attendance of its members, Uladislao Castrellón, vice-president; Salvador Gordillo, José F. Benavides, and Julian Martinez, and the secretary, Mr. Rodolfo L. Castrellón. There were also present Mr. José Manuel de Adames, the municipal mayor, and a number of private citizens. The session being opened, the vice-president enthusiastically set forth the purpose of the meeting, and the member, Julián Martinez, made the following motion: The municipal council of Las Palmas, expressing the views of the free people, resolves To give, as is now given, a vote of approval of the interoceanic canal treaty, seconding the act of the Government junta and ministers. Let this resolution be communicated to whom it may concern. Upon the above resolution being submitted to discussion, it was unanimously approved. For record, the resolution is signed by the members and officers present. Members, Mayor, The secretary, ULADISLAO CASTRELLÓN. SALVADOR GORDILLO, J. M. DE ADAMES. R. S. CASTRELLÓN. At the capital of the municipality of La Mesa, at 9 a. m. on the 5th of December, 1903, in the customary place, the municipal council of the district met, with the attendance of all its members-Messrs. Pedro Tristán, presiding; Eulogio Solis, Narciso Barrio, Lorenzo Chamiso, and Avelino J. del Barrio, the last acting as secretary, The session being opened, the president set forth the object of the meeting and read the telegram addressed by the minister of justice to the prefect of the province, stating the approval that the Government junta and ministers had given to the canal treaty, whereupon the member, Narciso Barrio, made the following motion: "The municipal council of the district of La Mesa, expressing the views of the constituent people, free and voluntarily resolves 66 To advise the Government junta of its assent to the approval given by it to the canal treaty, and to tender to it every aid. "Let this be communicated to whom it may concern, and let it be published.” Being submitted to debate, the resolution was approved unanimously. For record, the resolution is signed by all the members of the corporation, copies being made for transmission to the mayor, to be by him sent to its destination. We, the undersigned residents of the municipality of La Mesa, comply with a just duty in announcing to the Government junta of the Republic of Panama our recognition and approval of its act approving the canal treaty negotiated between our minister and the Government of the United States. That act makes secure our future and our peace. La Mesa, December 3, 1903. José J. Alvarado, Alejandro Méndez, Nicolás Alcedo, Manuel María Alcedo, MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT JUNTA, Panama. GENTLEMEN: With the liveliest satisfaction we have learned of the approval which, in the exercise of your august faculties, you have given to the treaty negotiated by the United States and the commissioners of our Republic in Washington for the open ing of an interoceanic canal. That act guarantees the interests of the isthmian nation and consolidates our Republic. We therefore respectfully present to you our cordial recognition. Ladislao Rodríguez, Pastor Paredes, T. A. Adames, Juan Bautista Gɔn- Resolution unanimously adopted by the municipal council of Taboga in the session of the 3d of December, 1903. The municipal council of Taboga having learned that the treaty negotiated between the representative of the Republic of Panama in Washington and the Secretary of State of the United States, of the Government of the United States of America, for the opening of an interoceanic canal across our isthmus, was ratified yesterday by the honorable junta of the provisional government of the Republic, resolves: To advise that honorable body that the municipal council of Taboga, faithfully interpreting the aspirations of the people it represents, has noted with satisfaction that the aforesaid treaty has been ratified, a fact which meets a universal need, and it presents to the honorable junta for this reason its most cordial congratulations. Let a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the honorable junta, and let it be published. Advice No. 2 (December 5, 1903), by which approval is given. The municipal council of Gatun, considering: That on the 2d instant the treaty negotiated at Washington on the 18th of November last for the construction of an interoceanic canal was approved by the junta of the provisional government of Panama; That in this contract the independence of the Republic of Panama is guaranteed by the Government of the United States; That for reasons of external security it is indispensable to proceed with dispatch in the approval of the treaty; That by virtue of the treaty the aspiration of the people of the Isthmus of Panama is realized that the canal shall be built for its own benefit and for the advancement of universal commerce, it is agreed: SOLE ARTICLE. To approve the treaty entered into between His Excellency Mr. Felipe Bunau-Varilla, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama, and His Excellency Mr. John Hay, Secretary of State of the Republic of the United States of America. Given at Gatun the 5th of December, 1903. The secretary, Approved. The mayor, The secretary: H. HERRERA R. U. SANGUILLÉN A. OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, District of Gatun, December 5, 1903. JOSÉ G. SALAZAR. U. SANGUILLÉN A. At the capital of the municipal district of Rio Jesus, 3d day of December, 1903, at 3 p. m., in the municipal hall, the municipal council met with an attendance of all its principal members: Messrs. Santos Guevara, president; José C. Cruz, vice-president; Diego Lopez, Santiago Bernal, and José D. Mendoza, acting secretary. The session being called to order, the president advised the board of the object of the meeting and placed before them the telegram from the minister of justice. Whereupon the member, Diego Lopez, had the floor and proposed the following motion: "The municipal council of the district of Rio Jesus, interpreting the desires of the constituent people, freely and voluntarily Resolves, To give its vote of approval to the government junta of the approval it has given of the canal treaty, and to extend to it every aid. "Let this be communicated to whom it may concern, and let it be published.” Being submitted to discussion the resolution was unanimously adopted. In conformity with the custom the present act is copied and is signed by all the members. The undersigned, residents of Soná, notwithstanding the fact that it does not clearly comprehend the difficulties and dangers between Colombia and Panama relative to the construction of an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of that name, because the former country has no right to treat of a matter which does not pertain to it, since the Isthmus has separated itself from Colombia with the consent of all its citizens, and has proclaimed itself an independent Republic under the protection of the United States of the north, and now recognized as such by the greater part of the European powers; and notwithstanding that, by our adhesion to the act of independence of the Isthmus, signed in the city of Panama the 4th of November last, we gave tacit approval to all acts which in the future, and until a regular government is formed, should be effected by the most excellent government junta which to-day so ably watches over the destinies of this Republic, we certify anew by this present act our most ample and unconditional approval of the treaty for the opening of an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama, signed at Washington by the Governments of the United States of the north and of Panama, the only Governments having any right to deal with the subject. Soná, December 2, 1903. E. Abadía, A. Grajales, José F. Calviño, Demetrio Dutari, Dionisio Sosa, The municipal council of the district of San Francisco, in representation of the constituent people, being informed of the ratification of the treaty with the United States of North America concerning the opening of the canal in the zone of the Isthmus of Panama, |