The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-19


of Nicaragua, Were made by that State to
the late administration, for our friendly in
PREVENTION in its behalf against the aggres-
sions of the British arms in October, 1S47,
and in February, 1S4S-which appeals
must, of necessity, have been made very
soon after the aggressions which called
them forth?
2. Whether he, Mr.. BUCHANAN, ever
addressed, or instructed Mr.. BANCROFT to
address, TO The British government, any re-
monstrance against its repeated violations
of the territorial rights of Nicaragua, under
pretence of protecting those of the Mos
quito king-coupled with an intimation,
that the United States would, upon the
MONROE principle, or upon any other prin-
ciple, be compelled to resist the preten-
sions set up by the British government in
respect to the Mosquito shore'
When the Union answers these ques-
tons, we shall be better enabled to Judge
of the probability of Mr.. BUcHANAN's
having ever authorized the statement,
that ''the late cabinet had acted" on the
Nicaragua affair, and that che had no
doubt that when the whole affair was
brought before the country, as he hoped
it would be shortly, it would be found to
rebound greatly to the honor of the late
administration. We desire to do Messrs.
Polk and BUCHANAN no injustice in this
matter. We have taken studious care not
to do them. any. But, it is our right to
| show, in answer to the censures daily cast
upon the present Administration by the
Union, on account of their presumed
course in the Nicaragua business, that
those censures deeply touch the last ad-
ministration, while they cannot, in the
slightest degree, affect the present. All
the epithets of abuse applied by the Union
to the present Administration, in anticipa-
ton that it will not undertake to settle the
Nicaragua difficulty with England by a
prompt application of the MONROE prin-
ciple, will apply with ten-fold force to the
late administration.
But it is alleged by the Union, by way
of showing that the late administration did
not neglect its duty in regard to Mica
ragua, and leave her s'to her fate," that
Mr.. HIsE, the charge sent to Central
America by Mr.. Polk, concluded better
treaty with Nicaragua than that of Mr..
SQUIER-a treaty.which "secured the con-
troll of the canal exclusively to the United
States" Now, the Union has already
published in its columns the fact that Mr..
HIsE made t. at treaty ,oithout any IN
structions from the late administration.
How, then, can the conclusion of such
treaty shield that administration from the
imputation of neglecting our interests in
Nicaragua
The Union lays great stress on those
provisions in Mr.. HIsE's treaty, by which,
it says, certain exclusive privileges are
granted to the citizens of The United
States! Now, it has been the settled pol
icy of this Government, from the date of
their independence, in all the treaties it
has negotiated with the Spanish American
States, never to ask for any erclusire COM
mercial privileges for its own citizens. 1t
never desired them. To purchase them
by "entangling alliances" has, up TO the
present day, been regarded by statesmen
Of all parties in this country as thing not
fit TO be thought of. And what, according
to the Union'S own version of it, is this
famous and highly-lauded provision in
Mr.. HIsE's treaty, int purchase of er-
ciusive commercial privileges from Mica
ragua by tohat is tantamount TO an entan-
CLING alliance!
In this very matter OF a communication
by canal between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, across the Isthmus of Nicaragua,
it was the JACKSON policy to have such
communication free 10 all nations During
General JAcKsoN's administration-on the
Sd Of March, 1850 JACKSON Senate
adopted the following resolution:
| "Resolved, That the President of the United
! States be respectfully requested TO consider the
expcdency Of opening negotiations with other ma
tons, and particularly with the governments Of
\ Central America, for the purpose Of effectually
| protecting, by suitable treaty stipulations with
| them, such individuals or companies as may un.
| dcrtake to open communication between the At
| lsntic and Pacific oceans, by construction Of a
ship canal across the isthmus which connects
| North and South America, and Of securing for
ever, by such stipulations, the free and equal
right Of navigating such canal TO all such nations,
| on the payment Of such reasonable tolls az may
be established, 10 compensate the capitalists who
may engage in such undertaking to complete the
work"
General JACKSON, approving of this re-
solution, and giving it liberal construc-
ton, employed the late CHARLES BrDDLE
''for the purpose of making inquiries into