Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-21 00:00:00

TAM DALLAS-CLARENDON TR'ATY.

Un ler the late administrai ion negcciations were instituted between
the two governments tor the purpose, if possible, of removing those
difficulties, end a treaty having this 'audible object in snesi WAS
signed at London on the 17,h October, 1856, and was submitted by
the President of the Senate on the following llth of Dtcember.
Whether this treaty, either in its original or amended form, Would
have accomplish ,d the obj :et intended without giving birth to new and
embarrassing complications between the two governments, may
perhaps be well questioned. Certain it is, however, it was rendered
much less objectionable by the different amendments made to it by
the Senate. The treaty, as amended, Was retitled by me on the 12th
March, 1857, and was transmitted to London for ratifV,tion by the
British government. That government expressed its wilingness to
concur in all the amendments made by the Senate, with the single
exception of the clause relating Ito Ruatan and the other islands in
the Bay of Honduras. Tho article in the edgiest' treaty, as submitted
to the Senate, after reciting that these islands and their inhabitants
" having been by a con-ention bearing d to the 27th dal of August,
1856, between her Britannic Majesty aad the repub it of Honduras,
constituted and declared a fre Territory, under the sovereignty of
the said republic of Hoaditras," stipulated that" the two cont, swing
parties do hereby mutually engage to recognise .and respoct in a'l
future time the Independence and rights of the said free Territory as
a part of the republic of, Honduras.'
Upon an examination of this convention between Great Brit tin and
H ,ndoras, of the 27th August, 1851, It was f pond that, whilst
declaring the Bay Islands to be " a free to, ritory under the
sovereignty of the republic of Honduras," it deprived that republic
of rights without which its sovereignty over them could scarcely be
said to exist. It divided them from the reminder of Honduras, and
gave to their inhabitants a sepamte government of their own, with
legislative, executive, and judical officers, elected by themselves. It
deprived the government of Honduras of the taxing power in every
•orm, and exempted the people of the islands from the performance
of military duty exce, t for their own exclusive defence. It also pro-
hibited that repubiie fr,m erecting fortifications (pen them for t eir
protection—thus leaving them open to invasion from any quarter;
and, finally, it provided " that slavery shall not at any time hereaft r
la, permitted to exist therein."

Had Honduras ra ified this Convention, she would have ratified the
establishment of a state substantially independent within her own
limits, and a State at all times &abject to British lain ace and c,..ntrol.
Morso-er, had tie United States ratified the treaty with Great
Britain in it , origipal fore, we shou'd have been t Dual •' t recognise
and respect in all future tithe" these st;puistions to the prl'jadice of
Honduras. Being iii direct opposition to the spirit and meaning of the
Clayt in and Baler treaty as understood in the Un-ted States, the
Senate rejects t the e-tire clause, and substituted in its stead a simple
recognition of the sovereign right of Honduras to these Llands.lll the
following language.

The two contracting parties do herehymutually engage to recognise
and respect the islands of Rustan, Bonito, Utile, Barbaretta, Helena
and llorat, situate in the Bay of Honduran, and ff the coast of the
republic of Hcndu•as as under the so Tere gnty and as part of the said
repu'Alc of Honduras. _

Great Britain rejected this amendment, assigning as the only reason
that the ratifications of the aatventioa of the 27. h Auzus.,
between her and Honduras, had.not been " exchanged, owing to the
hesitation of that government " Had this teen done, it is stated that
" her raja-ty's government would have had lithe difficulty in agree•
ing t the modification proposed by the Senate, which then would
have had in effect the same sigailization as t,..e origin 1 wording,"
Who her this would have bee a the effect, whether the mere circum-
stance of the exchange of the ratifications of the Urit:sh coavention
with Honduras priori. paint of time to the- ratification of our treaty
with t reat Britain worn], "In effect," have had " the same significa-
tion ns the original wordi'mg," and thus have nullified tee amendment
of the Senate. may well be doubted. It pc- haps, fortunate that
the quertion has never arisen.
Tee British government,• immediately after rejecting' the treaty as
r mended, proposed to enter Int anew treat :with the United states,
similar in all respects to the tre.ty which they.h d jest refused to
ratify, if the !Jolted Ste- es would consent to add to the senate's clear
a • d tinenalid d recognition of the severeigety of Hondnree over the
Bay islands .he following conditional stiptration :
Whenever and as soon as the republic of Honduras she'l have con=
chided and ratified a treaty with Great Eir.bsip, b j which Great'
Britain shall have ceded, bud the rep of Honduras shall have
accepted, the said islands, subject to the provisions and conditions
contained in such: treaty. .