ThismeantthatunlessIactedatonceIwouldfindforeignpowersinpartialpossessionofSantoDomingo；inwhicheventtheveryindividualswho，intheactualeventdeprecatedtheprecautiontakentopreventsuchaction，wouldhaveadvocatedextremeandviolentmeasurestoundotheeffectoftheirownsupineness。Nine-tenthsofwisdomistobewiseintime，andattherighttime；andmywholeforeignpolicywasbasedontheexerciseofintelligentforethoughtandofdecisiveactionsufficientlyfarinadvanceofanylikelycrisistomakeitimprobablethatwewouldrunintoserioustrouble。
SantoDomingohadfallenintosuchchaosthatonceforsomeweeksthereweretworivalgovernmentsinit，andarevolutionwasbeingcarriedonagainsteach。Atoneperiodonegovernmentwasatseainasmallgunboat，butstillstoutlymaintainedthatitwasinpossessionoftheislandandentitledtomakeloansanddeclarepeaceorwar。ThesituationhadbecomeintolerablebythetimethatIinterfered。TherewasanavalcommanderinthewaterswhomIdirectedtopreventanyfightingwhichmightmenacethecustom-houses。Hecarriedouthisorders，bothtohisandmysatisfaction，inthoroughgoingfashion。Ononeoccasion，whenaninsurgentforcethreatenedtoattackatowninwhichAmericanshadinterests，henotifiedthecommandersonbothsidesthathewouldnotpermitanyfightinginthetown，butthathewouldappointacertainplacewheretheycouldmeetandfightitout，andthatthevictorsshouldhavethetown。Theyagreedtomeethiswishes，thefightcameoffattheappointedplace，andthevictors，whoifIrememberrightlyweretheinsurgents，weregiventhetown。
Itwasthecustom-housesthatcausedthetrouble，fortheyofferedtheonlymeansofraisingmoney，andtherevolutionswerecarriedontogetpossessionofthem。AccordinglyIsecuredanagreementwiththegovernmentalauthorities，whoforthemomentseemedbestabletospeakforthecountry，bywhichthesecustom-houseswereplacedunderAmericancontrol。Thearrangementwasthatweshouldkeeporderandpreventanyinterferencewiththecustom-housesortheplaceswheretheystood，andshouldcollecttherevenues。Forty-fivepercentoftherevenuewasthenturnedovertotheSantoDominganGovernment，andfifty-fivepercentputinasinkingfundinNewYorkforthebenefitofthecreditors。Thearrangementworkedincapitalstyle。Ontheforty-fivepercentbasistheSantoDominganGovernmentreceivedfromusalargersumthanithadeverreceivedbeforewhennominallyalltherevenuewenttoit。Thecreditorswereentirelysatisfiedwiththearrangement，andnoexcuseforinterferencebyEuropeanpowersremained。Occasionaldisturbancesoccurredintheisland，ofcourse，butonthewholethereensuedadegreeofpeaceandprosperitywhichtheislandhadnotknownbeforeforatleastacentury。
Allthiswasdonewithoutthelossofalife，withtheassentofallthepartiesininterest，andwithoutsubjectingtheUnitedStatestoanycharge，whilepracticallyalloftheinterference，afterthenavalcommanderwhomIhavementionedhadtakentheinitialstepsinpreservingorder，consistedinputtingafirst-classmantrainedinourinsularserviceattheheadoftheSantoDomingancustomsservice。
Wesecuredpeace，weprotectedthepeopleoftheislandsagainstforeignfoes，andweminimizedthechanceofdomestictrouble。Wesatisfiedthecreditorsandtheforeignnationstowhichthecreditorsbelonged；andourownpartoftheworkwasdonewiththeutmostefficiencyandwithrigidhonesty，sothatnotaparticleofscandalwaseversomuchashintedat。
Underthesecircumstancesthosewhodonotknowthenatureoftheprofessionalinternationalphilanthropistswouldsupposethattheseapostlesofinternationalpeacewouldhavebeenoverjoyedwithwhatwehaddone。Asamatteroffact，whentheytookanynoticeofitatallitwastodenounceit；andthoseAmericannewspaperswhicharefondestofproclaimingthemselvesthefoesofwarandthefriendsofpeaceviolentlyattackedmeforavertingwarfrom，andbringingpeaceto，theisland。TheyinsistedIhadnopowertomaketheagreement，anddemandedtherejectionofthetreatywhichwastoperpetuatetheagreement。Theywere，ofcourse，whollyunabletoadvanceasinglesoundreasonofanykindfortheirattitude。Isupposetherealexplanationwaspartlytheirdislikeofmepersonally，andunwillingnesstoseepeacecomethroughornationalhonorupheldbyme；andinthenextplacetheirsheer，simpledevotiontoprattleanddislikeofefficiency。Theylikedtohavepeoplecometogetherandtalkaboutpeace，orevensignbitsofpaperwithsomethingaboutpeaceorarbitrationonthem，buttheytooknointerestwhateverinthepracticalachievementofapeacethattoldforgoodgovernmentanddecencyandhonesty。Theywerejoinedbythemanymoderatelywell-
meaningmenwhoalwaysdemandthatathingbedone，butalsoalwaysdemandthatitbenotdoneintheonlywayinwhichitis，asamatteroffact，possibletodoit。ThemenofthiskindinsistedthatofcourseSantoDomingomustbeprotectedandmadetobehaveitself，andthatofcoursethePanamaCanalmustbedug；buttheyinsistedevenmorestronglythatneitherfeatshouldbeaccomplishedintheonlywayinwhichitwaspossibletoaccomplishitatall。
TheConstitutiondidnotexplicitlygivemepowertobringaboutthenecessaryagreementwithSantoDomingo。ButtheConstitutiondidnotforbidmydoingwhatIdid。Iputtheagreementintoeffect，andI
continueditsexecutionfortwoyearsbeforetheSenateacted；andI
wouldhavecontinuedituntiltheendofmyterm，ifnecessary，withoutanyactionbyCongress。ButitwasfarpreferablethatthereshouldbeactionbyCongress，sothatwemightbeproceedingunderatreatywhichwasthelawofthelandandnotmerelybyadirectionoftheChiefExecutivewhichwouldlapsewhenthatparticularexecutiveleftoffice。IthereforedidmybesttogettheSenatetoratifywhatIhaddone。Therewasagooddealofdifficultyaboutit。WiththeexceptionofoneortwomenlikeClarkofArkansas，theDemocraticSenatorsactedinthatspiritofunworthypartisanshipwhichsubordinatesnationalinteresttosomefanciedpartisanadvantage，andtheywerecordiallybackedbyallthatportionofthepresswhichtookitsinspirationfromWallStreet，andwasviolentlyhostiletotheAdministrationbecauseofitsattitudetowardsgreatcorporations。
MostoftheRepublicanSenatorsundertheleadofSenatorLodgestoodbyme；butsomeofthem，ofthemore“conservative“orreactionarytype，whowerealreadygrowinghostiletomeonthetrustquestion，firstproceededtosneeratwhathadbeendone，andtoraiseallkindsofmeticulousobjections，whichtheythemselvesfinallyabandoned，butwhichfurnishedanexcuseonwhichtheopponentsofthetreatycouldhangadverseaction。UnfortunatelytheSenatorswhoweremostapttospeakofthedignityoftheSenate，andtoinsistuponitsimportance，weretheveryoneswhowerealsomostapttotrytomakedisplayofthisdignityandimportancebythwartingthepublicbusiness。Thiscasewastypical。TheRepublicansinquestionspokeagainstcertainprovisionsoftheproposedtreaty。Theythen，havingingeniouslyprovidedammunitionforthefoesofthetreaty，abandonedtheiroppositiontoit，andtheDemocratssteppedintothepositiontheyhadabandoned。EnoughRepublicanswereabsenttopreventthesecuringofatwo-thirdsvoteforthetreaty，andtheSenateadjournedwithoutanyactionatall，andwithafeelingofentireself-satisfactionathavingleftthecountryinthepositionofassumingaresponsibilityandthenfailingtofulfilit。ApparentlytheSenatorsinquestionfeltthatinsomewaytheyhadupheldtheirdignity。Allthattheyhadreallydonewastoshirktheirduty。Somebodyhadtodothatduty，andaccordinglyIdidit。Iwentaheadandadministeredtheproposedtreatyanyhow，consideringitasasimpleagreementonthepartoftheExecutivewhichwouldbeconvertedintoatreatywhenevertheSenateacted。AfteracoupleofyearstheSenatedidact，havingpreviouslymadesomeutterlyunimportantchangeswhichIratifiedandpersuadedSantoDomingotoratify。InallitshistorySantoDomingohashadnothinghappentoitasfortunateasthistreaty，andthepassingofitsavedtheUnitedStatesfromhavingtofaceseriousdifficultieswithoneormoreforeignpowers。
ItcannotinthelongrunprovepossiblefortheUnitedStatestoprotectdelinquentAmericannationsfrompunishmentforthenon-
performanceoftheirdutiesunlesssheundertakestomakethemperformtheirduties。Peoplemaytheorizeaboutthisasmuchastheywish，butwheneverasufficientlystrongoutsidenationbecomessufficientlyaggrieved，theneitherthatnationwillactortheUnitedStatesGovernmentitselfwillhavetoact。WewerefacetofaceatoneperiodofmyadministrationwiththisconditionofaffairsinVenezuela，whenGermany，ratherfeeblybackedbyEngland，undertookablockadeagainstVenezuelatomakeVenezuelaadopttheGermanandEnglishviewaboutcertainagreements。TherewasrealdangerthattheblockadewouldfinallyresultinGermany’stakingpossessionofcertaincitiesorcustom-houses。Isucceeded，however，ingettingallthepartiesininteresttosubmittheircasestotheHagueTribunal。
ByfarthemostimportantactionItookinforeignaffairsduringthetimeIwasPresidentrelatedtothePanamaCanal。Hereagaintherewasmuchaccusationaboutmyhavingactedinan“unconstitutional“manner——apositionwhichcanbeupheldonlyifJefferson’sactioninacquiringLouisianabealsotreatedasunconstitutional；andatdifferentstagesoftheaffairbelieversinado-nothingpolicydenouncedmeashaving“usurpedauthority“——whichmeant，thatwhennobodyelsecouldorwouldexerciseefficientauthority，Iexercisedit。
DuringthenearlyfourhundredyearsthathadelapsedsinceBalboacrossedtheIsthmus，therehadbeenagooddealoftalkaboutbuildinganIsthmuscanal，andtherehadbeenvariousdiscussionsofthesubjectandnegotiationsaboutitinWashingtonfortheprevioushalfcentury。Sofarithadallresultedmerelyinconversation；andthetimehadcomewhenunlesssomebodywaspreparedtoactwithdecisionwewouldhavetoresignourselvestoatleasthalfacenturyoffurtherconversation。UndertheHay-PauncefoteTreatysignedshortlyafterIbecamePresident，andthankstoournegotiationswiththeFrenchPanamaCompany，theUnitedStatesatlastacquiredapossession，sofarasEuropewasconcerned，whichwarrantedherinimmediatelyundertakingthetask。Itremainedtodecidewherethecanalshouldbe，whetheralongthelinealreadypioneeredbytheFrenchcompanyinPanama，orinNicaragua。PanamabelongedtotheRepublicofColombia。NicaraguabideagerlyfortheprivilegeofhavingtheUnitedStatesbuildthecanalthroughherterritory。Aslongasitwasdoubtfulwhichroutewewoulddecideupon，Colombiaextendedeverypromiseoffriendlycooperation；atthePan-AmericanCongressinMexicoherdelegatejoinedintheunanimousvotewhichrequestedtheUnitedStatesforthwithtobuildthecanal；andathereagerrequestwenegotiatedtheHay-HerranTreatywithher，whichgaveustherighttobuildthecanalacrossPanama。AboardofexpertssenttotheIsthmushadreportedthatthisroutewasbetterthantheNicaraguaroute，andthatitwouldbewelltobuildthecanaloveritprovidedwecouldpurchasetherightsoftheFrenchcompanyforfortymilliondollars；butthatotherwisetheywouldadvisetakingtheNicaraguaroute。Eversince1846wehadhadatreatywiththepowerthenincontroloftheIsthmus，theRepublicofNewGranada，thepredecessoroftheRepublicofColombiaandofthepresentRepublicofPanama，bywhichtreatytheUnitedStateswasguaranteedfreeandopenrightofwayacrosstheIsthmusofPanamabyanymodeofcommunicationthatmightbeconstructed，whileinreturnourGovernmentguaranteedtheperfectneutralityoftheIsthmuswithaviewtothepreservationoffreetransit。
Fornearlyfiftyyearswehadassertedtherighttopreventtheclosingofthishighwayofcommerce。SecretaryofStateCassin1858
officiallystatedtheAmericanpositionasfollows：
“Sovereigntyhasitsdutiesaswellasitsrights，andnoneoftheselocalgovernments，evenifadministeredwithmoreregardtothejustdemandsofothernationsthantheyhavebeen，wouldbepermitted，inaspiritofEasternisolation，toclosethegatesofintercourseofthegreathighwaysoftheworld，andjustifytheactbythepretensionthattheseavenuesoftradeandtravelbelongtothemandthattheychoosetoshutthem，or，whatisalmostequivalent，toencumberthemwithsuchunjustrelationsaswouldpreventtheirgeneraluse。”
WehadagainandagainbeenforcedtointervenetoprotectthetransitacrosstheIsthmus，andtheinterventionwasfrequentlyattherequestofColombiaherself。TheefforttobuildacanalbyprivatecapitalhadbeenmadeunderDeLessepsandhadresultedinlamentablefailure。
Everyseriousproposaltobuildthecanalinsuchmannerhadbeenabandoned。TheUnitedStateshadrepeatedlyannouncedthatwewouldnotpermitittobebuiltorcontrolledbyanyold-worldgovernment。
Colombiawasutterlyimpotenttobuilditherself。Underthesecircumstancesithadbecomeamatterofimperativeobligationthatweshouldbuilditourselveswithoutfurtherdelay。