nage
defeated all financial legislation during that session.

CHAPTER LVIII.
EFFORTS TO CONSTRUCT THE NICARAGUAN CANAL.
Early Recognition of the Need of a Canal Across the Isthmus
Connecting North and South America--M. de Lesseps Attempts to Build
a Water Way at Panama--Feasability of a Route by Lake Nicaragua--
First Attempts in 1825 to Secure Aid from Congress--The Clayton-
Bulwer Convention of 1850--Hindrance to the Work Caused by This
Treaty--Report of the Committee on Foreign Relations in 1891--
Failure to Secure a Treaty Between the United States and Nicaragua
in 1884--Cleveland's Reasons for Withdrawing This Treaty--Incorporation
of the Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua--Inevitable Failure of
Their Attempts Unless Aided by the Government--Why We Should Purchase
Outright the Concessions of the Maritime Company--Brief Description
of the Proposed Canal--My Last Letter from General Sherman--His
Death from Pneumonia After a Few Days' Illness--Messages of President
Harrison--Resolution--My Commemorative Address Delivered Before
the Loyal Legion.

One of the most important subjects considered by the Senate within
the last ten years, to which I have given special attention, is
the construction of a ship canal across Central America. The
American continents, stretching from the polar regions of the north
to the Straits of Magellan, south of the 50th parallel of south
latitude, present a barrier to navigation from the east to the
west, to overcome which has been the anxious desire of mankind ever
since the discovery of America by Columbus. It was the object of
his memorable voyage to find a water way from Spain to China and
India. While his discovery was an event of the greatest importance,
yet it was a disappointment to him, and in all his subsequent
voyages he sought to find a way through the newly-found land to
the Indian Ocean. The spirit of enterprise that was aroused by
his reports led many adventurers to explore the new world, and
before many years the peculiar formation of the long strip of land
connecting North and South America was clearly defined. The
Spaniards conquered Mexico and Peru, and at this early period
conceived the idea of a canal across the isthmus, but the obstruction
could not be overcome by the engineering of that day. The region
of Central America was soon occupied by Spain, and was divided into
many colonies, which, in process of time, became independent of
Spain, and of each othe