Page:The Panama Canal Controversy.djvu/25

 in the Central and South American States at the time. Then, as between themselves, in order that Great Britain should not take advantage of her territorial claims to the disadvantage of the United States, and that the United States should not obtain treaty rights from third Powers to the disadvantage of Great Britain, it was agreed that neither the one nor the other should obtain exclusive control over the Canal, or any rights and advantages in regard to commerce and navigation which should not be offered on the same terms to the other. And I ask you to note that this principle of equal treatment pervades the whole Treaty; the making of unfair discriminations in favour of one of the Contracting Parties over the commerce of the other is referred to in Article V as contrary to 'the spirit and intention of the Convention' and in Article VI the 'great design of this Convention' is stated to be the construction of a Canal for the benefit of mankind on equal terms to all. Article VI contains a provision enabling other States to become parties to the arrangement and to share in these benefits.

I have already shown you that the condition of equal treatment had from the first been a leading feature of the policy of the United States in regard to any interoceanic Canal, and I have read to you the passage from Lord Palmerston's letter of November 13, in which he accepts that condition at the outset of the negotiations, as the basis of the agreement to be made between the two countries; but there is one further piece of evidence which establishes the intention, at least, of the United States beyond any possible doubt. The Convention was signed on April 19, and on April 22 the President of the United States, Mr. Taylor, submitted it to the Senate for ratification with the following message, explaining the objects which it was intended to effect.