The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-23
Instantaneous.
From the London Times, Dec. Is.
The Nicaragua Question I'm England.

rights Of the Mosquito King as cause of dispute
with other nations and to allow an enterprise Of
strictly pacific and commercial character 10 be
turned to the bad purposes of irritation and hos
tility. The interests concerned in the construction
of line of water communication across the 18th
mus of Panama are essentially Of n general and
public character. We have no other desire in the
matter than that such line of passage should be
opened as efcctually, as speedily, and cheaply
as possible The opening of highway for COM
merce is always consistent with the progress OF
civilization and the convenience of mankind; and
we do not pretend to have calculated or foreseen
TO nicely what effect such an improvement may
hereafter produce the relative forces of COM
peting traders and navigators. Like every inven-
ton or discovery in science or geography, these
changes must be viewed in a large and liberal
spirit, not with reference to their immediate or
partial effects They are part of the economy Of
the world, and rightly considered, they have in our
days far stronger tendency to unite States and
communities than to sever and exasperate them.
The American Minister in London spoke the other
day like man Of sense and the representative of
sensible government, when he said that no exclu-
sive advantages were sought in this matter by the
cabinet Of Washington; and, although there may
be in this country, as there is in the United States,
set of men who are always ready to take the
jealous and dsputatious view of such subjects, the
grand interests Of England and America are in
truth perfectly at union. With regard to the plea
of territorial right, which has been set up by Lord
Palmcrson on behalf of the Mosquito King, that is
pure question of law. The determination of such
q point rests not so muCn Win the FOrelgn SeCrc-
tary rs with the Queens Advocate. If we are le-
gally warranted and bound TO maintain the pro-
tectorate of the Mosquito coast, it would be con-
temptible to abandon weak ally because he is
mcnaced by more formidable power; but If the
legal point be ruled against the existence of this
protcctorate, we have certainly motive in policy
in honor to waste efforts in defence of the in
dependence of Mosquito.
A pamphlet has just been published, or rather re-
printed from the Colonial Magazine of the last two
months, which endeavors 10 take far more deci-
ded and vehement view of this case. But the rea-
soning and the assertions of this writer have not
modified our view Of the question: though he has
added some additional facts to what had already
appeared in the papers presented to Parliament.
OF these facts the most startling Is the following let
ter, which appears to have been addressed by the
British consul at New York TO the director of the
American Canal Company:
H. B. M CONSULATE, New York, July 80.
SIR: Her Britannia majesty's government being
informed that agreement for the establishment
Pacific has been concluded between the govern
ment of the State ofNicaragua, and Mr.. Clapp and
Dr. Brown, citizens of the United States and agents
of the {" New York and New Orleans Steam Navi-
CATION Company" of which company you apprise
Inc that you were one, from the execution of which
agreement, IL Is inferred that the government of
Nicaragua has led the New York and New Orleans
Company to suppose that this government is COM
petentto dispose of the exclusive rights of naviga
ting the St. Johns river; such agreement like
wise containing clause binding the company to
build public store at st. John's
] am Instructed officially TO inform the New York
and New Orleans Steam Navigation Company
which take leave TO do through you-that the
boundary line of the Mosquito kingdom touches the
St. Johns river at the Machuca Rapid, about thirty
miles below the Lake Nicaragua, and that from
thence to the mouth Of the St. Johns, the naviga-
ton of that river belongs to Mosquito have like
wise TO inform the company that the port of St.
John's, now called Grey Town, at which they have
agreed with the Nicaragua government TO build a
IL.
government is bound TO protect the king OF Mos
quito in the exercise Of the territorial rights which
he possesses over Grey Town. and over the lower
part Of St. Johns river; and that the government
Of Nicaragua has entered into an agreement in re-
gard TO places where il has competence.
have the honor 10 be, sir, your most obedient,
humble scrvant, ANTHONY BARCLAY.
To 8. II. AcKERMAN, esq,
Il might be supposed that the boundary of the
Mosquito kingdom, which touches the st. Johns
river at the Machuca Rapid, about thirty miles be-
low the Lake of Nicaragua" had been defined
with all the precision Of legal conveyance di-
plomatic survey. But ii is notorious that the
boundaries Of this State purely arbitrary; they
were laid down two three years ago in despatch
written by British agent who was bold 10 describe
what he thought should be the boundary Of Mos
quitia, and they have never been acknowledged by
any human being but Lord Paimerston and their
own author
AS The case originally STOOD the British protec-
torato was placed on the ground OF long and init
mate COnncNlOn ana alllnnCt DctWcen Tue GOVERN
ment at Jamaica and the English buccaneers on
the Spanish Main and the Mosquito Indians. But
since produced the article Of the treaty OF 17s6,
which put an end To that protcctorate, the whole
argument derived from prescription Is extinguish
cd. The writer Of this pamphlet says, " In 1876,
10 the eternal disgrace of our then government,
England was led 70 withdraw her support from the
King of Mosquito and his dependent tribes, and to
leave the field open 10 Spain;'' and Il s fully ad-
mitted that this protectorate entirely interrupted
and not resumed until the revolt of the Spanish colo
nes had destroyed the interest Of the mother country
in maintaining that stipulation But in the mean
time il is further stated by this writer that Spain
had erected fort called ST. Carlos, on the northern
bank Of the river ST. john at its junction with the
lake; another lower down, at Castillo Viejo; and,
lastly, that small Spanish military post was cs-
tabshcd at the port Of st. Johns itself, which 10
the main point in dispute. II II true that the
Spanish government consented 20 pay an annual
10 the Mosquito Indians, but IL is not more
sonablc 20 call that sum tribute than II would be
TO give that name 10 the distribution Of presents
annually made by tho British and American gov
crnments 70 the Indian tribes in their territories.
Those tribes the aboriginal posscssors Of the SOIL
have undoubted claim TO the protection and lib
eralty of the civilized governments with which
they have come in contact; but we have never
heard that the presence Of such tribes in Florida or
other parts Of the territory of Great Britain, Spain,
the United States constituted bar 70 the sover
eighty OF any regular government. II such bar
esists the Mosquito coast IL resides not in the
independent rights Of the Mosquito Indians but in
tho lawful claims which England may have had 70
exercise her own protcctoratc over them and their
territory. II does appear, however, from the text
Of tho treaty OF i7s6, that thcsc rights the Mos
quito coast were expressly abandoned 10 Spain; I;
Spain acted upon that cession and they have been
renewed, IL renewed at all, without the assent Of
her representatives. A question may indeed be
raised whether IL is 10 the State Of Nicaragua or
20 that OF Costa Rica--both being fragments Of
The Spanish viccroyalties Of Guatemala and of
Santa Fe-that the coast Of Mosquito and the mouth
of the San Juan most rightfully belong. But that
is matter of perfect indifference 10 the rest Of the
world. II would be deplorabc if the public inter-
Of the passage of the isthmus or the peace Of
nations could be seriously troubled by the question
by whom IL Is 10 be made, or through whose terri
tories is The line 10 pass. by squabblc between
rival States In Central America. At present those
regions consist Of dense forests, pcstilcnt swsmps,
and barely nayigable rivers, the wand OF COM
merce may awaken them 10 improvement, civiliza.
ton and lifc-thc contests Of the sword, or even Of
tho pen, can only consign them to prolonged I'M
significance and desolstion- II Lord Palmerston
is still resolved TO regard the Mosquito coast ne
British territory. let be told and let us know
the grounds which he rests his claim but, II
those grounds are wanting, decline TO attach