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Vifquain made play its relations and political supports so d?obtenir a post of French Consul or in Belgium, two countries qu?il knew well. He proposed the Belgian city d?Anvers or, failing this, the French cities of Lyon, Bordeaux or Le Havre, but its hopes were disappointed because, in 1886, president Grover Cleveland appointed it consul in South America, in Barranquilla, a port on the Atlantic coast of Colombia. In 1888, it was transferred to Colon, another city of the coast Atlantic of Colombia, but located this time on l?isthme of Panama, a strategic area, with the point of l?actuality at that time.
Colombia was an old named Spanish colony with l?origine News-Grenade. It became independent in 1819 thanks to Simon Bolívar, who founded the United States of Colombia gathering Venezuela, Panama and l?Equator. This union dissolved in 1830 with had died of Bolívar. The country knew difficult beginnings because of the confrontations between the two large political factions of l?époque, the Conservatives centralists, who s?appuyaient on l?Eglise catholic, and the Federalists liberal, who wanted to reduce l?influence of l?Eglise. The Conservatives s?emparèrent the first of the capacity, but the Federalists caused a civil war and took soon the top. In 1860, the Jesuits were expelled of the country and l?Etat confiscated the goods of l?Eglise. The situation remained relatively calm jusqu?en 1880. At that time, the Conservatives returned to the capacity but, since 1884, year of died of their leader, Raphaël Nunez, the civil war was re-ignited between the two factions and always made rage when Vifquain took its functions. This civil war will not finish qu?en 1902-1903, when the United States supports the secession of the area of l?isthme of Panama, and will constitute it in independent republic.
Since 1876, the French had studied the possibility of digging an interoceanic channel through l?isthme of Panama. Colombia, always sovereign on the area at that time, had concluded a contract from construction with Ferdinand de Lesseps, very haloed glory which had just brought to him l?ouverture of Suez Canal. In 1880, this last founded the universal Company of the Interoceanic Channel and started work in 1881, in an area with the unhealthy climate, the ground much more difficult qu?en Egypt and in a political context definitely more unstable, all elements of which it n?avait not held account, which caused the bankruptcy of its company and an enormous financial scandal in France.
In 1888, when Vifquain took its functions with Colon, the building work of the channel had had to be stopped and, in 1889, the Company of Panama Canal , who had replaced the company founded by Lesseps, went bankrupt in its turn fault of financial means, the budgetary goings beyond s?étant revealed phenomenal. In spite of a new test in 1894, work could not be concluded qu?après that the rights related to construction of the channel were repurchased by the United States in 1904.
Against l?avis of the Secretary d?Etat Blaine, supported by the democratic and republican politicians of Nebraska, Vifquain had to give up its station with Colon in 1890, when president Harrison lately elected decided to replace it.
Returned with the country, Victor accepted the load d?adjudant general National Guard of Nebraska, a function qu?il exerted of 1890 to 1892. C?est thus qu?il accepted a medal d?or commemorating the last countryside against the Sioux, which culminated on December 29, 1890 in Wounded Knee by the massacre of the head Big Foot and the families which l?accompagnaient. This medal was given to him to Washington, January 21, 1892. The National Guard had been called under the weapons at the time of the disorders with the Sioux. The governor underlined in particular the promptitude with which it had answered its call, being on foot of war in the two hours of the notification of mobilization, and ready to go on the border with Dakota, where l?essentiel of the incidents occurred.
In April 1893, Grover Cleveland returned to the presidency and named Vifquain consul general in Panama, on the peaceful coast of l?isthme. Panama always formed part of Colombia at that time, but had often made secession. In 1841 in particular, a "State of l?Isthme of Panama" had been created but, in 1886, it was become again a province of Colombia.
An anecdote, reported by the newspapers at the time of its departure for l?Americ Power station, depicts the character of Vifquain well. A republican politician who l?assurait qu?il carried best the v?ux success of the Republicans of Nebraska, Vifquain answered: " I am content with l?entendre because, for myself, I am not any more maintaining one politician. I go to Panama only in so much qu?Américain, and I will make my to better preserve the interests of my compatriots there. "the journalist adds: " If the bastard ones (half-breed) of Democrats of this State seek to know why the Vifquain General gained the respect of the Republicans, it should not go far to find the reason of it. The Vifquain General fights like an honest and honourable adversary. He s?y never takes cunningly when he s?attaque with the Republicans. "
Vifquain left for Panama, with l?intention s?y to install qu?il also a long time would remain in station, and its family joined it later a few months. A d?inspection report/ratio of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs gives us a good description of the consulate and its occupants during the mandate of Vifquain:
" the consulate of the United States is located in a building of three stages, with the n° 41, Plaza San Francisco, in the best residential district and of the businesses of the city.
The consulate itself occupies the two parts in frontage of the ground floor. They large, well are lit and agree perfectly with their function.
The material are in good condition and the files and files are held carefully. L?employé of the consulate is l?un wire of the consul general, a young man of good quality and completely with the current of the files. The consul general is a man d?un exceptional character, full with zeal and, j?ai taken great care to check it, enjoying the respect and l?estime of all in the commercial and political circles. Consequently, with regard to his personnel, the consul is irreproachable. The Vifquain General, his wife, his daughter and his son have their dwelling on the second floor, with the top of the consulate. Because of completely particular construction of the walls and floors of the houses of Panama, as well as certain particular practices of the inhabitants, c?est an advantage completely some of d?avoir the family of the consul to the top of the consulate [... ]
The Vifquain consul is a generous host and admirably assumes the dignity of his office [... ] his registers are held correctly and the professional way in which the files are recorded and the supplies put in order do not leave room to any criticism [... ] "
In addition to representing the United States, Vifquain was also used as consul for the Chinese living in Panama. With the continuation d?un agreement made between the United States and China, the American agents posts some in Colombia were charged to represent the Chinese interests, this country not n?ayant diplomatic relations with Colombia and thus not laying out d?aucun legal representative on the spot.
Vifquain often intervened in favour of the Chinese community and saved the life with several of its nationals. It helped, inter alia, the many Chinese tradesmen of Panama to escape the monopoly from the trade from the retail sale set up by San Domingo Villa, a politician in sight, which had obtained Colombian government a concession to establish a public market with Colon, which gave him, to a certain extent, a monopoly in fact. It hoped to force the Chinese merchants either with s?approvisionner at his place, or to close shop. Disorders burst, but Vifquain intervened vigorously, putting forward its right to represent and protect the interests from China, and managed to break the system that Villa wanted to set up.
It was rewarded for it in 1898, when l?Emperor of China conferred the "Double Dragon to him", an honorary distinction whose l?octroi was notified to him by l?ambassade Chinese in Washington.
Embassy of China, Washington cd.
Mr Victor Vifquain, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Dear Sir,
On l?ordre of l?ambassador of China, I wish to inform you that his imperial majesty l?Emperor of China, on the recommendation of its Excellence, is pleased to confer to you the decoration of the "Double Dragon", in recognition of the priceless services which you rendered to the Chinese residents of the Republic of Colombia during your mandate of consul general from the United States to Panama. This decoration will be sent to you as soon as you let know your current address with this embassy.
Respectfully,
Young Kwai, Interprets.
But what, more than anything else, was worth in Vifquain this distinction, they were the efforts qu?il deployed in favour of l?ambassador of China in the United States, which occupied at the same time the functions d?ambassador in Peru. On the way for Peru, this last passed by Colombia with which China did not n?entretenait diplomatic relations, as we l?avons considering. Victor Vifquain intervened again with good results: he succeeds in making organize an official reception during which the Chinese representative was accepted with a maximum d?apparat and of courtesy. At the time when Vifquain was seen granting the "Double Dragon", l?ambassador in question had become the virtual successor of l?Emperor Li Hung Chang and the favourite of l?Impératrice.
Vifquain occupied its post of consul general jusqu?à the end of l?administration Cleveland, passing on the whole ten years to Colombia, which allowed him d?être with the fact perfectly customs and habits of this country. It also drew some from the comfortable incomes thanks to its investments and to its direction of l?economy. But he knew also the tragedy in Panama: February 1, 1895, his/her daughter Marie-Caroline, 22 years old only, there died of the fevers.