The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-25 00:00:00

AMERICA.

The question of the abrogation of the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty was under discussion in the House of Hepre-
aentatives when the last mail left New York
. . . .

- - ---
The President has signed the Kansas Bill. It was
reported that ex-Secretary Stanton and ex-Governor
Walker would proceed to Kansas, and commence an
agitation in opposition to the bill.
A fire had occurred at Boston involving logs of
property to the amount of 200,000 dollars. Four
persons were killed by the walls falling upon them.
The news in the late American advises respecting the
negociations concluded with the republic of Nicaragua
for the command of the route between the oceans, which
already of the highest importance to the commerce of
the world, inset sooner or later become the great gate-
way to the East, has of course been entirely disregarded,
like most other questiona of moment during the success
of our recent contrivances for keeping the country
virtually without a Government. Although a treaty was
concluded eight years ago between Great Britain and the
United States for guaranteeing the neutrality of the
Nicaragua transit and all other similar lines of communi-
cation across Central America, Nicaragua herself had
never become a direct party to any arrangement for the
purpose. At the period when a co-operation on the part
of England and America for opening up this region was
ripe for consummation, Lord Malmesbury was Foreign
Minister, and the indifference shown to the enterprise
by the British Government and its employes effectually
contributed to put a stop to all proceedings. From that
time a determination was expressed in America to
acquire an exclusive influence over the route, but as this
was not possible by direct means, the Filibustering pro-
jects of Walker were, up to • certain point, quietly
encouraged, and hence arose the miserable episode sub-
sequently witnessed, with all its bloodshed, rapine and
Neither the abvss.tchtechaess of oar Govern-
ment, however, nur use lawlessnesa inearaertY or
Walker could extinguish the enterprise. It was des-
tined to be worked out, and, although when good means
were discouraged bad were sure to be restored to, its
final accomplishment could just as certainly be predicted
amid allthese difficulties twat any other motnent. Thestage
at which the matter has now arrived shows that the
United States may possibly proceed without further
interruption to the completion of their teak. Unhappily,
owing to our former mistakes, the determination has
evidently become fixed on that side to find some pretext
for getting rid of all European influences on the question,
and preparing the way for a direct absorption of the
territory. A convention has just been ratified by Nicar-
agua which is asserted by some of the New York papers
to establish practically a United States protectorate; and
although this is not the case, since its clauses do not very
materially differ from those contemplated to be adopted
between Great Britain, America, and Nicaragua at the
time of the framing of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, it
may be made expeditiously to subserve that end, unless a
precisely similar convention be drawn up between Nicar-
agua and this country. The arrangement in question
gives the United States power not only to protect the
transit between the oceans by an armed force, but also a
claim to the free transport of troops and munitions of
war from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It confers privi-
leges also on American citizens settling in the country,
which will in reality exempt them from all control
except that of their own Government. Henceforth,
therefore, the republic will have little to distinguish it
from an American dependency. Annexation, however,
is still inpracticable while the Clayton.Bulwer treaty is
in existence. The first stipulation of that document is,
that neither Great Britain nor the United States shall
occupy, fortify, or colonise Nicaragua, or any part of
Central America. To get rid of this treaty, therefore,
is the grand aim. According to the despatches received
by the last mail, the House of Representatives at Wash-
ington bad ordered to be engrossed the resolution call-
ing on the President to take steps for its abrogation.
The arrangement, however, is permanent, and there
is no power of abrogation either on ono side or the other.
Still the whole affair is one that palpably requires all the
sagacity, forbearance, and firmness of experienced states-
men.

AMERICAN LAW MAKERS. —"The people of New
York," says the Tribune of that city " ou.ght to be
proud of their selections for law makers. Within a
short time one hag been arrested for beating • woman in
an infamous house ; another for mauling a policeman
and trying to bite his nose off; another indulged in a
free fight at a theatre saloon ; another pitched into •
brother member in the Clerk's Office ; another not a
great while ago was second or bottle holder in a prize
fight ; not a few have been keepers of very low
groggeries ; and now one toms up under arrest and
held to bail as a common gambler, in an establishment
patronized chiefly by the most wretched of the negro
population of the Fifth Ward."