The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-25 00:00:00

REJECTION OF THE DALLAS-CLAREN-
DON TREATY.

The fact has been widely bruited that the elaren
don-Dallas treaty, supplementary to and explana
tory of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, after having
been cut and carved out of all similitude to its for-
mer self by the United States Senate, has received
the finishing blow from the British Cabinet ; yet
up to this hour we have not happened to meet one
expression of regret for the circumstance. That it
has been received with surprise at Washington we
shall be slow to believe ; for a Government which
so maims and mutilates a treaty, negotiated with a
first-class Power by its representative of the highest
grade, has no right to expect that the disfigured re-
mains will be meekly accepted as if it had under-
, gone no change. Our Government had a right,
through the action of the Senate, to make the alte-
rations—Great Britain as good a right to reject
them. Thus the treaty is demolished ; and if there
be any mourners to go about our streets (since Mr.
Dallas still traverses in contented dignity those of
London) they certainly are too few to raise a
dust. The Clayton-Bulwer treaty was, under the
circumstances, an international necessity. The
Panama road was required; yet capitalists could
not be expected to furnish the money therefor if
their road, when comple'.ed, was liable to be closed
any moment by a war in which any two great com-
mercial Powers were engaged. That treaty was in
main a good one, and reflects credit on the con-
tracting parties. That the subsequent conduct of
either has fully sustained that credit, in view of
our naval exploit at Greytown, our Filibusters'
ravages in Nicaragua, and Great Britain's seizure
of Ruatan, is not so clear. We do not see that
entering into new stipulations and complications is
the true way to render operative the just and wise
provisions of that subsisting treaty. Let our Gc-
vernment and people resolve never more to covet
possessions in Central America, and call on Great
Britain to imitate our self-denying me.ekness and
moderation. There will then be no need of a sup-
plementary treaty. But this country ought never
to become a great naval power, and ought to re-
nounce all ambition to vie with England for the
mastery of the seas. To maintain su.cii a naval
force as would be required to dispute with her the
control of the Mexican Gulf alone would send
millions of American labourers' children supperless
to bed ; and we do not think the prize worth the
cost. No; let us open lines of communication
across the continent over our own soil—first a wag-
gon-road, swiftly followed by a telegraphic line
and then let us put through a first-class railro ad, to
be followed in due season by another and another.
Then let the Panama, Nicaragua, Tehauntepec,
and Honduras routes, with as many more as specu-
lation may devise, be improved and used by those
who have a taste for such enterprises—our own
i
people or others. We only insist that no dollar shall
be taken from the treasury of these Muted States
to buy or conquer routes from sea to sea through
foreign countries until we shall have improved at
least one of the routes through territory all our
own.—New York Tribune.

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a convocation holden this morning, Mr. John A. Dale,
Chool of Natural Witco*.