The New York herald., 1850-01-28
The. Nicaragua Dispute between England
and America.
From the London Chronicle, Jau.sI

d., III
ugatng parties should be disposed to stand on their
strict rights, very great matter may he klndled by
this least Of fires. The message OF We American
President, we have already limited, will ln-
fuence 10 a great extent the turn which this con-
troyersy Is 10 take. A good-tempered and gently
expressed allusion wonld do much to reduce 1t to
its natural limits, while half dozen arrogant
menacng words would remove its landmarks far
into dangerous and debateable ground We nave
cur hopes, well as our fears for the government
of the United States On the one hand its chief Is
man Of honor and problty, and his subordlnates
are believed TO be better acquainted with the princ
pies OF public law, and with the modes Of inter-
national dealing IN use among hEstclas5 powers,
than have been some preceding administrations
On the other, We cannot forget that the popularity
of the military President is waning, and that the
strength of the ministry in the legislature has
diminished much more seriously than could have
been anticipated. Then, again, II is certain that
the discussion of the feartal slavery question
which the Washington officials are sparlng NJ
pains to siave oh-zcan in no way be so eidily
avelted as by diplomatic broil with England
Discretion has hard game to play against the hope
of regaining popular favor and the prospect OF es-
Gaping national peril; nor are the chances likely
10 be much altered by the tone OF the unprlncpled
portion of the American press, and the accustomed
jealousy and suspicion Of large minority amoag
the American people.
The facts, already partially known, have been
augmented and arranged by recent pamphletcer,
who has managed 10 be extraordinarily early IN
the field on our own side OF the Atlantic. Mo.
has been lately pressing one or two OF the small,
halt-organiZed sates into which the larger repu5-
lie OF Guaemals has separated, for payment OF cer-
tain lndemnities due 10 British subjects. The cor
respondence Of THIS gentleman with the President
OF Honduras has been reprinted IN the American
journals, and the curious IN such matters may dis
cover In II exquisitely ludicrous resemblance TO
| the communications passing private life, be-
| tween humber debtors and creditors. The repub-
lean sovereign, IN most instances, does not answer
Mr. Chatheld's eplsrles at all; aud when, by any
chance, he does so, he either purposely mlscon-
strues their meaning, or puts oil the applicant
with elaboraiely civil excuses. The English
agent, tired out, like many man under similar
circumstances, with the repeated evasions OF his
correspondent, at length notified to hlm that he in
| tended 10 take possession OF Tyre Island, "by
way OF ien, and TO retain II TIL his claim should
be satisfied. The island in question Is situ-
ated on the Pacific coast, In the Bay of Fonseca,
and derives considerable importance from its posi-
ton within the limits of that range of country
through which runs the line OF the proposed com.
municatlon between the two great oceans II was
occupied, on the 2ith OF last October, by the
OF Her Majesty ship Gorgon, in accordance with
| Mr.. Chatfeld's declaration But. meanwhile, in
telgence OF the threatened seizure had been con-
| veyed by the Honduras government to Mr. Squier,
| the busy and notorious Charge d'Afaires of the
United States at Nlcafagua-who thereupon, with
the utmost celebrity, and certainly without any
press authority or instructions from Washington,
negotiated, what he himself calls "cession,"
(but what The President of Honduras styles ''de-
poslt,) of Tlgre TO the United States. Notice of
this treaty, whatever may be its nature, was given
on the 18th OF September to MIR. Chattield and to
| the captains OF the British men OF war on the Pa
ciffc coast; but, as we have already ntmated, II
was not permitted TO interfere with the occupation
| OF the island.
II Mr.. Squier be not disavowed by General
Taylor-if this controversy be matured into con-
don for serious debate, and If the subject should
be discussed in that spirit of narrow techncality
which too often defaces the diplomacy of the two
naiionst is not difficult TO predict of what nature
VIII be the arguments respectively employed. On
the part OF the United States II may be contended,
that MIR. Chatiieids intimation the President of
Honduras was never more than a mere menace
and that, before any steps were taken to alter its
Of Tgre Island had passed by treaty to the Union
An advocate of Great Britain may, on the other
hand, urge that Mr.. Chatield took the strongest
measures which al the time were IN his power and
that the subsequent occupation Of Tgre strict
ly part OF continuous actin consequence of and
IN strict connection with, ,ts commencement.
Yet we are much mistaken If any but the law
yers OF either nation Will be content with such
view oi these curious transactions. Should public
attention be pointed to them on this side Of the At
lantc, there can be no doubt as to the light in
which MIR. Squer's proceedings, even IL ustItiable
on technical grounds, will be regarded Most as
suredy, IT they do not amount to fraud, they
constitute that very sharp dealing which is next
door to swindiing., Mr. Squier, has shown him
self as "smart" with Mr.. Chatfeld as ever was his
countryman Mr.. Scadder with Martin Chuzzlewit
England has good cause tor indignation, both as
moral Judge and as the wronged party. Our sense
OF fair play Will be shocked, and we shall have TO
reconcile ourselves 10 the consciousness Of being
"done." Nevertheless there is no reason TO be.
heve that the feeling OF the American public, on
hearing OF the socalled cession OF Tlgre Island
Is simply one OF satisfaction at the success of
clever trick. They appear rather TO rejoice that
an enemy has been forestalledln an intended blow
For the Truth is, IN the United States, as every
where else, we are perade Albion. We have as
bad reputation for dark and treacherous schem-
ing among our relatives as among aliens Just as
IN France the English government-which for Ger.
tam purposes Is identihed with the English nation
lis supposed TO have an eye perpetually on Egypt
and the Levant; Just as the Spaniards aud Ger.
mans accuse us OF an intention TO subugate the
world by cottons-and the Italians, OF fixed de.
sgn TO win universal empire by the agency Of mis-
sIonaries-so our cousins across the water seem
determined to ascribe to US a ghoule.like appetite,
which habiiuay gratites itself at any material or
moral cost, for American soil, The most iasigni-
hcant movement Of the most Insignificant consul,
they appear To look upon much as an ancIent nation
may have regarded one of those famous oyertures
of the Roman Senate, which were the inyariable
prelude 10 a conquest. They really talk writ.
and even act, as though they thought we had moi
yet gwen no the idea vt recovering our lost plan-
.atIons: How much OF this tone is genuine how
much hypocritical, and how much the effect Of
mere habit, q Is hard to say. But il is universally
adopted and IL t does not spring from II AT jeas,
induces, mode Of thought which will readily fur.
nish patriotic excuses for acts Of badfaith, even
more lndefensible than those ascribed 10 Mr.
Squler
Slavery In the American Congeess.
From the Liverpool Mercury Of January
Whatever abstract advantages may be supoosed
10 attach to that constitutional law of the United
States which makes the election Of Speaker for
the House OF Representatives contingent on more
than simple majority Of votes, its practical IN.
conven niences and anomalous action at a time when
parties are nearly balanced, and party spirit runs
hugh, must be admitted on all hands. How strange |
IL seems to us, who manage these things so d,Trr
entity, that the popular representative body AT |
Washington should sit and deliberate for a full |
fortnight on the preliminary question Of the choice
Of chairman. and after about sixty balIotngs he
as far off ss from getting themselves orgsniy.
ed SO as to be able to proceed to the despatch of
bus,ners' The Office is indeed, one which carries |
Speaker OF the English House Of Commons: for. |
according to the ussges Of the Federal Legisature
the President OF the second chamber Of Congress
nominates the different committees, whose dn,,cs
consist ~ prelmnarly reporting on all measures
brought before the House; and though these com