260 men at that place, to give their aid to the civil authorities in the suppression of the riot. Notice has been given to the minister of government as well as the minister of war of the representations made by your excellency and the other foreign representatives in this matter, and means have continued to be employed for the reestablishment and preservance of peace and order in that place. The second of said ministries has ordered, through the medium of an employee of the national police, the investigation of the criminal acts which have been committed against the Turks in Honda, with a view to punishing those to blame and recovering and protecting the property which said foreigners say they have lost. The local authority states that some of said property has already been recovered, and that several persons who were present at the riot and were imprisoned have been set at liberty under a heavy bond, promising not to again attempt a riot against the Syrian colony and to present themselves to the authorities each time they are ordered. In presenting what I have said to your excellency, I refer to your polite notes of the 20th of August and the 8th of the present month, the first relative to the complaints of Simon Chemas, Wehbe Chemas, and Abdalla Chemas, and the second to Ricardo Deeb, Syrians by birth, to whom your excellency gives protection as naturalized citizens of the United States. I ought to add that, to Chiquinquira, where the first of said individuals lives, the ministry of government has been informed that the president of the tribunal of Tunja has gone to investigate what happened in that place. If it be considered that, already arriving in the country temporarily, or with a desire of permanent residence in it, foreigners have always been well received in Colombia, whose laws favor and protect them in their persons and property equally with natives, and that, notwithstanding that manifestations against the Turks have been suppressed from the very beginning, these have been occurring frequently, it is plainly recognized that there exists and grows in society a spirit of repulsion against these individuals, as stated in the first of said notes, in which your excellency asks the employment of means to secure to the Syrian citizens of the United States the protection of their lives, their homes, and their property, guaranteed by the treaty between the two nations. The government regrets that sentiments adverse to the Turks should have been produced in the country, and is always disposed to protect them in their persons and interests; but, notwithstanding precautions which were taken to prevent conflicts of the character of those which happened in Honda and Girardot, those manifestations may perhaps continue, and are made inevitable, by appearing suddenly in places where there is not sufficient guard, or in places separated from those points where forces exist to give protection and reestablish order, and it ought to be borne in mind that if such should happen, it could not be imputed to a failure to comply with the treaty except in the cases in which, being able to give such protection, it should not be done with complete efficiency. I beg, etc., Mr. Hay to Mr. Beaupre. LUIS CARLOS RICO. DEPARTMENT of State, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 131, of the 8th ultimo, reporting the hostile demonstration on the part of Colombians against the Syrian "Turks." The Department approves your course in requesting the protection of the Colombian Government for such of them as are naturalized citizens of the United States. SIR: I have the honor to report that one of the most important measures presented for the consideration of the present extraordinary session of the Colombian Congress passed during the last week and has been signed by the President. It is with regard to the free stipulation in currency (libre estipulación), under the title of "for the regulation of the monetary system and the redemption of the paper money." This law has not been published in the Diario Oficial, so that I am unable to furnish a complete copy and translation in time for the next mail, but its principal features are as follows: The monetary unit of the country to be the gold dollar of 1,672 milligrams of weight and .900 fine, to wit, the gold dollar of the United States of America. The gold coinage of other nations may circulate freely, as well as silver coins .835 and .900 fine. Future emission of paper money, whether by central or departmental governments, absolutely prohibited. The paper money heretofore legally emitted by the national and departmental governments to preserve its character of a forced currency and its liberatory power in those places where it now circulates according to the following rules: (a) In public or private transactions contracts may be made at the will of the parties either in the gold unit or in paper money. (b) When payment has been contracted for in gold, the obligation can be carried out by the payment of an equivalent sum of paper money at the rate of exchange ruling on the day of payment. (c) In the departments and provinces where silver has hitherto been current that coinage shall keep its character of circulating medium, in relation to the gold unit, according to the price of silver in the market, and contracts may be made in that currency. (d) Obligations contracted, or which may be contracted, with foreign houses or interests, shall be carried out in accordance with the terms of article 203 of the commercial code. (e) Obligations contracted in legal tender (moneda corriente) in which a particular coinage is not expressed will be understood as contracted for and payable in the forced paper currency. A council to be created, known as the council of national amortization, to be composed of five members, two nominated by the senate, two by the chamber of representatives, and one by the executive power. They are to be chosen from the most distinguished members of commerce, known for their rectitude and competency. (a) The gold which the council collects to be sold in lots of $1,000 at public auction for paper money. (b) The paper money which the council shall collect by the abovementioned sales and by contribution to be publicly burned. (c) The council shall have the full management of the funds confided to it and of its own constitution. (d) The council to fix, day by day, the rate of exchange, based upon the actual transactions in the open market, and that rate will hold good in all judicial matters. The council to appoint sectional councils in the country for the changing of deteriorated bills, buying up paper money, and burning the same. The following sources of income to be at the disposal of the council for the amortization of the paper money: The rent from the emerald mines of Muzo and Cosquez; from the mines of Santa Ana, La Manta, Supia, and Marmato; from the pearl fisheries of the Republic; from the produce of the exploitations of the national forests; harbor and light-house dues, tonnage, etc. The product coming from the export duties to include those on vegetable ivory, which, it is proposed, shall be made the same as levied by the Republic of Ecuador. The council authorized to rent the Muzo and Cosquez mines for the period of ten years. Estimates of income and expenditure to be fixed in the gold unit heretofore mentioned (the United States dollar). (a) Customs duties to be levied in gold, or in bills at the exchange of the day. (b) The rents of national property, such as the mines of Muzo, etc., to be levied exclusively in gold. (e) Rents not mentioned above to be fixed in gold, but levied in paper, in periods of three months. (d) For the fixing of exchange, in the periods of three months, the figure of the national council of amortization will be taken, but for the first three months liquidations will be made at 10,000 per cent. The personnel of the national council to be reappointed every four years, but the members appointed this year to hold office until September 30, 1908. The national council to cause a new edition of bills to be printed, to be exchanged for those deteriorated. For this purpose they may appropriate the sum of $250,000 gold, to be taken from the funds they shall receive for the purposes of amortization. A. M. BEAUPRÉ. I am, etc., CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THE CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND COLOMBIA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN INTEROCEANIC CANAL ACROSS THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING A REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WITH ACCOMPANYING PAPERS, CONCERNING THE CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND COLOMBIA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN INTEROCEANIC CANAL ACROSS THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit, for the information of the Congress, in connection with the correspondence already transmitted relating to the recent revolution on the Isthmus of Panama, and contained in House Document No. 8, Fifty-eighth Congress, first session, parts 1 and 2,a a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying papers concerning the convention between the United States and Colombia for the construction of an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. The undersigned, Secretary of State, has the honor to lay before the President, with a view to their transmission to Congress for the information of that body, in connection with the correspondence already transmitted, relating to the recent revolution on the Isthmus of Panama and contained in House Document No. 8, Fifty-eighth Congress, first session, parts 1 and 2, copies of the correspondence between the Department of State and the legation of the United States a Printed pp. 230 and 252. at Bogotá concerning the convention between the United States and Colombia for the construction of an interoceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 18, 1903. Inform Colombian Government Senate yesterday approved canal convention without amendment. LOOMIS, Acting. Mr. Hay to Mr: Beaupré. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 7, 1903. Referring to requests of Colombia to canal and railroad companies for appointment of agents to negotiate cancellation of the present concessions, et cetera, if the subject arises inform the Colombian Government that the treaty covers entire matter, and any change would be in violation of Spooner law and not permissible. Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay. HAY. No. 741.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: The matter of the ratification of the Panama Canal convention is intensely interesting to the people of this capital, and there is much public discussion of it. Without question public opinion is strongly against its ratification, but, of course, public opinion in Colombia is not necessarily a potent factor in controlling legislation. It is quite impossible to come to a definite conclusion as to the outcome until the result of the recent elections for members of Congress is known. It has been generally thought that the Government would be able to control the elections and that the members returned would be favorable to the administration's view on the canal question; but there has been serious disappointment to the governmental party in the result of some of the elections heard from, prominent and able members of the National party, opposed to the Marroquin administration and to the canal convention, have been elected. Ex-President Caro and Gen. Pedro Nel Ospina, Nationalists, are to represent the Department of Antioquia in the Senate. It seems altogether probable that unless the Government is thoroughly in earnest in its desire to have the convention ratified, it will not be done; and there is a possibility that it may not go through in any event. There is no public information as to the date at which the Congress will be called, but from private source I am given to understand that it will be about the 20th of May, owing to the slowness of returns from remote election districts. It is apparent lately that the French Canal Company is to take a decided interest in securing the ratification of the convention, and that its influence to that end will be of much importance. I am, sir, your obedient servant, A. M. BEAUPRÉ. Mr. Beaupré to Mr. Hay. No. 6.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to advise you that within the last month there has been such a sudden outburst of controversy, both in the Bogotá press and among the public in this city, with regard to the Panama Canal convention that I feel it my duty to report on what I regard as the chances for and against its passing Congress. During the long revolution which has but lately come to an end the measures employed by the Government to prevent public discussion of affairs of state had the effect of destroying anything like public opinion. It may have been for this reason that when, in the early part of February last, news came of the signing of the canal convention complete apathy on the subject seemed to reign, as far as the general public was concerned. The financial crisis had, previous to this announcement, reached a most acute stage, and the only feeling expressed was that of relief at the prospect of receiving $10,000,000, which was then considered sufficient to put in reasonably good condition the finances of the country. I am convinced I am right in saying that the public had never expected better terms. The proof is that when the news of the signing of the convention came foreign exchange ran down from 10,000 per cent to 6,300 per cent, and when it was rumored that the United States Senate had refused its assent a panic immediately ensued on the market, and exchange at once rose again to over 10,000 per cent. This was the state of affairs until General Fernandez, the minister of Government in charge of the ministry of finance, issued a circular to the Bogotá press (which had suddenly sprung into existence), inviting discussion on the canal convention. The circular was to the effect that the Government had no preconceived wishes for or against the measure; that it was for Congress to decide, and Congress would be largely guided by public opinion. At the same time what purported to be a translation of the text of the convention was published. Since then a complete revolution in feeling has taken place. From approbation to suspicion and from suspicion to decided opposition have been the phases of change in public sentiment during the last month. The newspapers of the city are full of strongly worded articles denouncing the convention, and, in general, these articles show the most bitter hostility to a scheme which they represent as being the |