The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-15 00:00:00

A POLICE OFFICEh'S MISTAKE.

The Buckingham magistrates meeting at Windsor, on
Tuesday, investigated a complaint made against C. Dick-
man, one of the county police, who was charged with
having assaulted Mrs. Ann Sayers, the wife of a respect-
able draper at Windsor. It appeared that on the Wed-
nesday before, about a quarter before 7 in the evening,
Mrs. Sayers, with four female friends, was walking from
Datchet to Windsor, when Dickman, who wore plain
clothes', and was on horseback, came galloping after the
party, got off his horse, and placing his hand on the
shoulder of Mrs. Sayers, exclaimed abruptly, "You are
the person I want," and ordered her, with two of the
friends who accompanied her, Mrs. and Miss Lawson, to
go to the toll-house, cicso at hand. Mrs. Sayers was so
frightened that she fell into hysterics, and fainted ; but
one of the younger ladies laughed. The ladies asked
him who he was, and what he did this for, but he only
told them he would explain it to them presently, until
one of them mentioned the name of Mr. Brightwell, and
then he stepped into the toll-house, and asked Green,
the turnpikt-gate keeper, whether he knew Mr. Bright•
well ; and when Green replied, " Yes, he is a ♦ery re-
spectable man,' the police officer came to them and said,
" L Ales, I am mistaken, and I am very sorry that I
stopped you. lam in pursuit of three females charged
with uttering counterfeit coin." This was indeed the
fact ; and it did so happen that five other persons were
ultimately taken up on suspicion of being concerned in
uttering the base coin, of whom three were middle aged
and tNo young females, and who were "dressed in silkS
and satins, and would be taken by any one for ladies," as
the serjeant of police deposed. Before stopping Mrs,
Sayers and her companions, the defendant asked the
toll•ke•per whether he knew the ladies who had just
passed, and was answered in the negative. He was
rather in an excited state from the chase. Mr. D. B.
Smith, of Slough, as attorney for the complainant, and
Mr. Voulee, of Windsor, as attorney for the defendant,
having called witnesses and commented on the case, the
magistrates deliberated, and Major Bent, the chairman,
said they regretted that such a case should have been
brought before them. It was their opinion that Dick-
man was perfectly justified in every step he bad taken,
and that if he had not so acted be would have grossly
neglected his duty. The case was therefore dismissed.

SUICIDE OF A DRUGGIST AT LIVERPOOL —On Thurs.
day evenim!, Mr. bienry Short, who kept a druggist's
shop known as tie Medical Hall, in Dale street, Live!-
pool, put an end to his existence by swalling prussic aei,'.
The deceased, who was unmarried, and ab )ut 25 years
of age, cattle to Liverpool from the south of England
about eight months ago, when he commenced business au
all) e. He was at alt times in a very nervous state ;
and, owing to mental aberration, was not long sin, e
paced in an asylum, whenco he had only returned to
his business a few days ago, and a sister came at the
same time to live with him. On Thursday evening he
appeared to be in very depressed spirits, and, as be
passed from the shop to go up stairs, he bade his sister
" Good bye." Having certain misgivings, she followed
soon afterwards, and found him in his bed-roam lying on
the floor struggling with death, a small bottle lying be-
side him. Her screams brought assistance, medical aid
was immediately obtained, but without avail. The hot
tle was found to contain prussic acid—a very larg6 dose
of which must have been taken by the deceased.

FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THE CENTRAL
AMERICAN QUESTION.

(Ri wiz the New York herald )

Oar ad vices from England enabie us to announce the
definite solution of the " Central American Question,"
at least so far as concerns the only vital part of the con-
troversy—viz., the " Colony of the Bay Islands." The
remaining issues in the controversy aro also adjusted, as
far as circumstances will admit ; and we may now re-
gard the whole question, to all intents and purposes, as
settle].

The principles of the adjustment aro precisely those
set forth in the Herald in April last, in an article en-
titled " The Common Sense Solution of the Central
American Question." This article, at the time of its
appearance,, was copied in the London Times, and has
evidently been followed by the British Government and
the various negotiators in their arrangement of the ques-
tion. Up to the appearance of that article the Govern-
ments of Great Britain and the United States had
treated the question of Central America as ono affecting
themselves alone, forgetting in their controversies, as
they had previously forgotten in their treaties, that the
States of Central America—the parties most deeply in-
terested—were entitled to be heard as principals in the
pending negotiations. The diplomatists of both coon•
tries exhausted themselves in the discussion of con-
structions of treaties affecting Central America, wholly
ignoring the rights of that country, and seemingly
blind to the fact that no arrangement from which
those States were excluded could have any binding
force, or constitute a good and permanent settlement
of the questions at issue. The longer the discussions
continued, therefore, the further both parties receded
from a settlement. Proceeding upon a vicious prin-
ciple, and however conforming to diplomatic ethics,
certainly disregarding common sense, Mr. Buchanan
and Lord Clarendon carried on their dreary correspon-
dence, until finally they arrived at what is called a
"dead lock"—one affirming a position which the other
diametrically denied. This state of things was an-
nounced by the President to Congress in a despairing
message, and it seemed as if the field of negotiation was
finally closed, and no solution open except through the
ultimos ratio of arms.
A result like this, which placed the two great mari-
time nations of the world in an attitude of direct hos-
tility towards each other, could not fail to create dissa-
tisfaction and alarm. This alarm was not diminished
when both Governments hastened to augment their
squadrons in the Central American waters, and the
public saw with astonishment the peace of the world
risked in the discretion of a score or two of rival com-
manders, acting under instructions necessarily of con-
siderable latitude. Every man of reflection, both in
England and America, felt that in a moment of excite-
ment or jealousy an unlucky gun might be fired, en one
side or the other, which would at once bring on a bloody
and disastrous war. The affair of the burning of the
San Juan de Nicaragua, by Captain Hollins, had taught
them that the discretion of naval commanders was not
always in the proportion of their responsibilities, and
they saw that with every day the question of Central
America was left open the danger of collision and con-
sequent hostilities would increase. To such a pass had
diplomacy brought the relations between the United
States and great Britain—the two nations of the world
most interested in the preservation of peace. Such was
the result of five years spent in treaty-making, proto
soling, corresponding, and speechifying—such the sum
total of the labours of the Claytons and Bulwers, the Pal-
merstons, Websters, Everetts, Marcys, Buchanans, and
Clarendons—such the latest triumph of that monstrous
remnant of mediaeval charlatanry dignified under the
name of diplomacy.
It was then, as we took occasion to intimate in the
article already referred to, "that influences, not origi-
nating with either the Government of the United States
or with that of Great Britain," were set to work, under
the inspirations of common sense, and in a spirit frank
and loyal, to adjust a question to which diplomacy had
confessed itself incompetent. It was then that intelli-
gent citizens of the United States and Great Britain,
unconnected with Governments and legations, having no
objects to subeerve but the common interests of both
countries, united in reviewing the whole controversy,
with a view to its speedy and honourable adjustment.
They prevailed upon the Government of Honduras to
name especial Minister to England, not to enter into a
long and wearisome discussion, but to bring about a so-
lution of the questions affecting that State, which were
understood to be the most important in the Central
American complication. They urged that he should be
instructed to represent to the British Government that
the great issue was primarily and legitimately between
England and Honduras, and that no settlement, by arbi-
tration or otherwise, of constructions of treaties, as be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, could affect
the question of right, or dispose of the real issue in the
case. Also, that he should represent that, while appeal.
ing to the British Government for justice, if such
appeals were unheeded, Honduras would reserve to her-
self the right, at any time, and under such circum-
stances as she should deem favourable, to enter
into any alliance or other relationship for regaining
possession of the territories of which she had been
illegally deprived. And furthermore, as an evidence
of her liberality and good faith, and with an ap-
preciation of the duties as well as the advantages of her
geographical position on the highway of nathits between
the t,vo seas, to offer to Great Britain and the whole
commercial world perfect freedom of transit through her
territories, over any route that might be constructed,
and through ports which she was ready to make free ports
in case of a compliance with her just and reasonable
demands.
The Government of Honduras wisely followed those
judicious counsels. Her Minister in Paris was empower-
ed to open the desired negotiations. He received his
powers near the close of June, immediately proceeded to
London, and entered upon his duties, which, we see,
were brought to a happy conclusion before the middle of
August. It is but just to say that, so far as our infor-
mation goes, he was received by the British Governrnedt
in the same spirit in which be was sent. Lord Claren-
don, no doubt, saw in the opportunity thus ()fared an
easy escape from a difficulty, if not a dangerous dilemma'
and, like a true statesman, availed himself of it. We
may even presume that he saw clearly that the unwar-
rantable position which Great Britain had taken in re-
spect to the Bay Islands, however pertinaciously she
might adhere to it, could never bear the world's scrutiny,
and would always be regarded as a bold act of piracy.
It is possible, also, that he felt that any further insist-
ence on pretensions which clearly violated the spirit, if
not the letter, of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, must
sooner or later lead to the abrogation of that treaty—
in which case he could not fail to see, in the success
of the gallant Walker, the rapid and permanent
predominance of the United States in Central Ame-
rica the Bay Islands and Mosquito protectorates,
and whatever other pretensions and fictions to the
contrary. In event of such abrogation, no practical
results favourable to British predominance could follow
from insisting upon these pretensions, unless carried
to the extremity of war—an extremity in which no
Governmentwould be sustained in England. He thought,
no doubt, that the broadest concession to the principle
of the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, followed by a stringent
demand for its observance, would be the best way of
postponing, if not defeating, the settled purpose, which
is a chronic madness in England to believe exists in the
United States, of annexing all Central America.
But, as we. have said, whatever concealed motives
Great Britain, or, rather, its Government, may have
entertained, its conduct, judged by all outward expo-
inents, has been disiuterested and honourable to the
highest degree. It has restored the Bay Islands to
Honduras, with only such restrictions as are in the in-
terest of civilization and proper to the age, however
novel they may be to the half civilised inhabitants of
Central Atneriea. It has relieved the route of the pro-
posed great inter-oceanic highway from the denomina-
tion which the possession of these islands by any great
maritime nation could not fail to impose. It has se-
cured for the trade and travel of the world perfect free-
dom of transit between the seas, through ports which
are also to be free. It has concluded the ridiculous farce
of a "Mosquito kingdom," in regard to an outraged
national sentiment, providing, only in obedience to the
ordinary dictates of humanity, for the miserable savages
who have been so long the stalkinghorse of its designs.
And it has finally, practically, and in most marked
mariner conceded the justice of the allegation that its
ptetensione in Central America were never founded in
right but dictated by a narrow, selfish, and unscru-
pulous policy.
Fer the first time in the history of the world Las the
paw of the British lion been lifted, except by force, from
a single foot of territory on which, lawfully or en-
lawfully, it has been planted. In this view it
may be regarded as a great concession to the public
opiiii • which exists, or should exist, among nations as
, m
among individuals. So far as it may be due to a desire
to act justly, or in deference to a sense of right, we
app!a,ud arid honour the deed. So far as it has been
brought about by the judicious and disinterested efforts
of individuals—and such efforts as we have intimated
have not been few or feeble—to them are due the
thanks of two great nations, who, in consequence, are
happily this day at peace, with the last the most diffi.
cult, and the most aggravated of the differeeces be.
tween them finally disposed of. That no others Inv
arise to disturb their amiable relations must be the
earnest aspiration of every friend of humanity, especially
at this time, when reaction and despotism seem to
have consolidated their energies, and freedom of
thought, expression, and action, banished from the
rest of the world, seeks asylum and only finds sup•
pert in the British islands and in the United States
of America. God knows there is little liberty of any
kind outside of their territories ; and to their dissen-
sions despotism all over the world can alone look for
reprieve from that extinction to which, it there be
justice in heaven or virtue among men, it is sooner
or later doomed.

A GOOD WIFE AND A GOOD HUSBAND. —A good
wife consinandeth her husband in any equal matter by
constantly obeying him. It was always observed that
what the English gained of the French in battle by va-
lour, the French gained of the Engli-h by cunning in
treatiesi if the husband should chance by his power
i
passion to prejudice his wife's right, she wisely
i(lAi4 wel ; '0
t)ha , by compounding and complying, to recover
and rectify it again. A husband's love to his wife
weakeneth not his ruling her ; and his ruling lesseneth
not his loving her. Wherefore ho avoideth all fondness
(a sick love, to be praised in none, and pardoned only in
the newly-married !) whereby more have wilfully be-
trayed their command than ever lost it by their wives'
rebellion. And what wonder is it if women take the
rule to themselves 'which their uxorious husbands first
surrendered to them.—l'