The Press.
London, England, 1856-05-31 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1856.

submitted to the Legislature for abolishing the
neutrality laws altogether, might be hest sup-
ported by arguments from Lord CLARENDON'S
despatches.
With regard to Central America, again, it
was the policy of this country to uphold the
independence of the Central American States.
The Bulwer-Clayton Treaty had been con-
cluded for that express purpose. It was our
part to give a liberal, not a restrictive inter-
pretation to that treaty, that the whole region,
being free from the influence of any one great
Power, should be open as a highway of
transit to the commerce of the whole world.
In comparison with the attainment of this
great object the right we claimed to a
protectorate of part of the Mosquito tern
tory, or to the possession of some small
islands on the Honduras coast, was ex-
tremely insignificant. Such rights were value
less, but to maintain them we have suf-
fered the principle to escape us of preserv-
ing inviolate the independence of the whole
region of the isthmus. There is great force in
the American argument, that in respect to
future acquisitions the probability of advan
tage. if only from proximity of position, was all
on the side of America. It was worth some con-
cession on our part to induce the United States
Government to join us in guaranteeing the in-
dependence of Central America; and, having
obtained it by treaty, it ought never to have
been lost sight of by this country. By Lord
CLARENDON'S policy a pretext has been afforded
to the American Government for departing
from the principle. While we hold a few in
significant islands, events are tending to the
annexation of Central America to the United
States territory. While grasping at a shadow
we are losing the substance. Had a good
u►►derstanding subsisted between the two
Governments, they would have cordially con-
curred in measures for the instant suppres-
sion of WALKER'S buccaneering enterprise.
The apathy with which this invasion of
Nicaragua has been viewed by our Govern-
ment is inexplicable. We know that Lord
CLARENDON has regarded it with displeasure,
but we do not find that he has taken any steps
to arrest it. The correspondence of the agent
of Costa Rica throws some light on the secret
proceedings of our Foreign office. On the
part of that State Lord CLARENDON was applied
to for assistance against WALKER. When told
that a force of 800 men bad been raised to
resist him, he exclaimed, " That was a right
step," and when applied to on behalf of Costa
Rata for arms, he obligingly told the agent
that he might have 2,000 muskets from the
War Department, at the price of 235. each
for the inferior sort, or 50s. Bd. each for the
Line pattern.
Lord CLARENDON'S approval and sympathy
went no further. Whether the agent, acting on
the caveat emptor principle, inquired elsewhere
and found the same article could be furnished
cheaper, or whether Costa Rica would not
furnish funds for so extensive a purchase, is
not material. The arms were not supplied,
and General WALKER has not to face muskets
of British manufacture.

The incident should not be lost sight of, as it
indicates the kind of action which Lord CLARK--
DON thinks becoming the Foreign Minister of
England. He allows it to be seen that he is ad-
verse to this paltry enterprise of WALKER: but
he fears to take any decided measure for its
suppression, or for vindicating the vital prin-
ciple of the Bulwer-Clayton Treaty. Should

STAMPED .... SIXPENCE.
UNSTAMPED..FIVEPENCE.

the reported intellig,ence of the recognition
of WALKER'S Government by the United States
Cabinet prove correct, this country will have
to make up its mind to abandon altogether
that important principle of the independence
of the Central American States firmly secured
by a treaty only six years old, or engage in a
war with America to maintain it.

" RELIGIOUS" RADICALISM.
THE most remarkable fact in the condition of
the Ministerial party is the extraordinary
antagonism of opinion between its ruling
chiefs and their most inconsistent followers.
In the present week this strange fact has
again been visible in the debate on the Irish
Church. Mr. Mum. represents the principles
current amongst " religious Radicals." He is a
" root and branch " man—unctuous, plausible,
and fluent while speaking on the religious
phases of a question, but shallow, inexpe-
rienced, and unpractical while trying to
grapple with political realities. He fairly
personifies, however, a school of a certain kind
which blends together a traditions IPuritanism
with a philosophy of religious nonconformity,
and tries to give substantial strength to the
compound by mingling it with the commercial
utilitarianism of our time. Such an incon-
gruous mixture is not likely to be accepted
by the people of England.
In resisting the proposal of Mr. Mul.t to
confiscate the Irish Church, Lord PALMERSTON
made a Tory speech. He took up some posi-
tions which we were glad to see affirmed,
though the Premier supported his arguments
weakly. He asserted the eligibility of Church
establishments for all civilised countries with
a positiveness of manner that does not belong
to the Whigs. He enforced, also, the neces-
sity of obeying the Act of Union ; but as he
went so far to approximate to our side of the
question, we think that it would have been ad-
visable for the Premier to have dwelt on the
utter impracticability of overthrowing the
Irish Church. It is not to be done except at
the tremendous risk of rending the British
empire asunder. For what would be the
direct results from the abolition of the Irish
Church? In the first place the "Act of
Union" would be flagrantly violated in its
most important regulations. If England has
a right to set at nought the provisions of that
great incorporating statute, so has Ireland.
Therefore, if England can throw down the
Protestantism of Ireland, on the other hand
Ireland has a right, in that case, to set up her
claim to a separate nationality of her own.
Such a serious shock would thus be given to
the whole Imperial connection that the empire
would be placed in jeopardy.
The subject must be considered as a closed
one in British politics. It is whispered that
the Whigs so consider it; and in point of fact
the whole question was decided twenty vP--
since, when the
before the Briti
gallantly told
he would take
the Apostles of
servative party
Lord DERBY
and followers,
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