at sort adopted
by the Convention at any time.

"Very sincerely yours,
"John Hay.

"The Honorable S. M. Cullom,
"United States Senate."

After nearly a month and a half of debate in executive session,
devoted to its consideration, the treaty was finally ratified
without amendment.

Considerable discussion arose over the question of the recognition
of Panama and the right of that country to make the treaty at all.
I contended in the Senate, in open as well as executive session,
that the new Republic of Panama had a perfect right to make the
treaty with the United States because it was a complete, sovereign,
and independent State. The recognition given the new Government
was the highest recognition we could accord. It was not a recognition
of belligerency, which is only a recognition that war exists; it
was not a virtual recognition, which is a recognition only for
commercial purposes; but it was what Pomeroy and Fillmore define
to be a formal recognition--that is, an absolute recognition of
independence and sovereignty. The recognition of the Republic was
a complete and formal recognition of independence, because the
President had received an envoy-extraordinary and minister-
plenipotentiary from that State. The United States Senate was a
party to that complete and formal recognition, because we confirmed
the nomination of Mr. Buchanan as envoy-extraordinary and minister-
plenipotentiary to that country.

This ended the long fight over the construction of the Panama Canal
--at least, so far as it in any way involved the jurisdiction of
the Committee on Foreign Relations. With the ratification of the
treaty, the subject was transferred to the Committee on Interoceanic
canals, where, during every session, matters of more or less
importance connected with the canal are considered.

I do not know whether or not it was wise to change from the Nicaraguan
to the Panama route. Senator Hanna and Senator Spooner were
responsible for the change; and time alone will demonstrate whether
we acted wisely.

CHAPTER XXVI
SANTO DOMINGO'S FISCAL AFFAIRS

For some years the Santo Domingo protocol and treaty were before
the Committee on Foreign Relations, and in the Senate. They came
before the Senate very suddenly. On January 20, 1905, there appeared
in the press what purported to be a protocol, agreed to by Commander
Dillingham on the one hand, and Minister Sanchez of the Dominican
Republic on the other, by t