egister's Office, 1825, Haiti
ranked twenty-ninth in the list of countries trading with the United
States.[427]

The actual presentation of the question to the country as a whole grew
out of an invitation to attend the Panama Congress. In 1825, General
Bolivar, leader of the South American revolutionists, invited the
states north and south of the Isthmus to send delegates to a congress
which would assemble at Panama. Formal invitations to attend the
congress were received from Mexico, Guatemala and Columbia and others.
The following suggestions were made as to questions to be considered:
the interference of European powers in America, the recognition of
Haiti, the slave trade and the formation of an American league.[428]
That the recognition of Haiti was one of the objects of consideration
is so stated among the lists of subjects in the _Official Gazette_ of
Columbia. The congress was to determine on what footing should be
placed the political and commercial relations of those portions of our
hemisphere, which had obtained their independence, but whose
independence had not been recognized by any American or European
power, as was for many years the case with Haiti.[429] Other evidence
is found in a letter of the Columbian minister, Salazar: "On what
basis the relations of Haiti, and of other parts of our Hemisphere
that shall hereafter be in like circumstances, are to be placed," said
he, "is a question simple at first view, but attended with serious
difficulties when closely examined. These arise from the different
manner of regarding Africans, and from their different rights in
Haiti, the United States and in other American states. This question
will be determined at the Isthmus, and if possible, an uniform rule
of conduct adopted in regard to it, or those modifications that may be
demanded by circumstances."[430]

A special message was sent to Congress by President Adams on December
26, naming the delegates to this congress, and asking for an
appropriation for expenses. Both Clay, then Secretary of State, and
President Adams wished to extend the commercial power of the United
States over the Americas, and they welcomed this opportunity. They
disclaimed any desire to enter any league, but left poorly defined the
objects which would be considered.[431]

The southern point of view, as expressed in the debates on this
question, was that disaster awaited the Southern States, if the United
States should send delegates