The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 26, 1857.

in Central America beyond the present limits. It is not
too much to assert that if in the United States the treaty
had been considered susceptible of such a construction, it
never would have been negotiated under the authority of
the President, nor would it have received the approbation
of the Senate. The universal conviction in the United
States was that when our Government consented to
violate its traditional a.►d time-honoured policy, and to
stipulate with a foreign Government never to occupy or
acquire territory in the Central American portion of our
own continent, the consideration for this sacrifice was that
Great Britain should in this respect at least be placed to
the same position with ourselves. While we have no right
to doubt the sincerity of the British Government in their
construction of the treaty, it is at the same time my de-
liberate conviction that this construction is in opposition
both to its letter and its spirit.

Mr. Buchanan then enters into a lengthened detail
of the different negotiations between England and
the United States with reference to Honduras and
the Bay Islands, and concludes as follows :

The fact is that when two nations like Great Britain and
the United States, mutually desirous as they are—and I
trust ever may be—of maintaining the most friendly rela-
tions with each other, have unfortunately concluded a treaty
which they understand in senses directly opposite, the
wisest course is to abrogate such a treaty by mutual con-
sent, and to commence anew. lied this been done
promptly all difficulties in Central America would most
probably ere this have been adjusted to the satisfaction of
both parties. The time spent in discussing the meaning
of the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty would have been devoted to
this praiseworthy purpose, and the task would have been
the more easily accomplished, because the interest of the
two countries in Central America is identical, being con-
fined to securing safe transits over all the routes across the
isthmus. Whilst entertaining these sentiments, I shall
nevertheless not refuse to contribute to any reasonable
adjustment of the Central American questions which is
not practically inconsistent with the American interpreta-
tion of the treaty. Overtures for this purpose have been
recently made by the British Government in a friendly
spirit, which I cordially reciprocate ; but whether this
renewed effort will result in success I am not prepared to
express an opinion. A brief period will determine.
With all other European Governments, excepting
Spain, the relations are stated to be as cordial as could
be desired. Mention is made of the treaty of friend-
ship and commerce recently concluded at Constanti-
nople between the United States and Persia, and
an appropriation is asked from Congress to cover the
expense of sending a representative to Teheran.
With respect to Spain, Mr. Buchanan regrets that
no progress has been made to arrange the questions
in dispute, but as the present Minister at Madrid
has asked for his recall, Mr. Buchanan observes," it
is my purpose to send out a new Minister to Spain,
with special instructions on all questions pending
between the two Governments, and with a deter-
mination to have them speedily and amicably ad-
justed, if this be possible."
Of China, the Message says,—

While our Minister has been instructed to occupy a
neutral position in reference to the existing hostilities at
Canton, and will cordially co-operate with the British and
French Ministers in all peaceful measures to secure by
treaty stipulations those just concessions to commerce
which the nations of the world have a right to expect, and
which China cannot long be permitted to withhold, from
assurances received I entertain no doubt that the three
Ministers will act in harmonious concert to obtain similar
commercial treaties for each of the powers they represent.
Passing then to Central America, be points out tha
vital necessity of peace in those countries, and re-
commends to the States to carry out in full the
provisions of the treaty with New Granada of 1846,
whereby the neutrality of the Isthmus of Panama is
guaranteed :
Under these circumstances (says Mr. Buchanan) I
recommend to Congress the passage of an act authorising
the President, in case of necessity, to employ the land
and naval forces of the United States to carry into effect
this guarantee of neutrality and protection. I also re-
commend similar legislation for the security of any other
route across the isthmus in which we may acquire an
interest by treaty.

Against the filibustering expeditions Mr. Bucha-
nan speaks strongly :

Such enterprises can do no possible good to the country,
but have already inflicted much injury both on its interests
and its character. They have prevented peaceful emigra-
tion from the United Stater to the States of Central
America, which could not fail to prove highly beneficial to
all the parties concerned; in a pecuniary point of view
alone our citizens have sustained heavy losses from the
seizure and closing of the transit route by the San Juan
between the two seas. The leader of the recent expedition
was arrested at New Orleans, but was discharged on giving
a bill for his appearance in the insufficient sum of 2,000
dole. I commend the whole subject to the serious atten-
tion of Congress, believing that our duty and our interests,
as well as our national character, require that we should
adopt such measures as will be effectual in restraining our
citizens from committing such outrages.
The President then announces his intention of
demanding satisfaction from Paraguay for certain
' insults, and passing at once to the Kansas que3tion.
discusses at length the Kansas imbroglio, pleads the
legality of the Lecompton Convention, and argues
that, while his instructions to Governor Walker
covered the submission of the whole Constitution to