Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-10-12

CENTRAL AMERICA.
We commence to-day the publication OF some
part OF 2 highly interesting correspondence on the
subject of Central America.
We cannot doubt the entire practcability of ship
canal across the Isthmus, which has been the subject
of inquiry and speculation for the last two or three
hundred years. Oregon and California now present
inducements for the construction OF ship navigation
across the lsthmus, between North and South Amer
ca which render it almost certain that no very dis
tant day this magnificent enterprise will be accom-
plished. The late Secretary Of fState, Mr.. CLAYTON
seems to have been fully apprized ofthe greatimport
ance of bringing California and Oregon into closer
communication with the Atlantic States. Indeed, from
the correspondence already published by Congress,
it appears that during the time that he at the
head of the State Department he never lost sight Of
the necessity Of connecting our Pacific possessions
with the Atlantic by means of such navigation.
His plan appears to have been to encourage, by
every constitutional means, every railroad company,
as well as every canal company, that sought to
shorten the transit between the American States
both oceans. For this purpose he endeavored to
extend the protection of this Government to the
railroads at Panama and Tehuantepec and his
views on these great subjects appear to have been
in accordance with wise American policy. 1t was
not his purpose to exclude other nations from the
right Of passage, but to admit them all the same
terms that is, provided they would all agree equally
to protect the routes-a principle adopted original
1v, hxD Il. IN &c ol,,
ton of the Senate, of which Mr.. CLAYTON was the
author, while member of that body on the Sd of
March, 1885. The principles of this resolution
were fully sustained by General JACKSON, who sent
Mr.. BDDLE to Central America and New Grenada
for the purpose. and were afterwards fully adopted
by President Polk, appears by his message trans
mitting to the Senate the treaty for the Panama
railroad. General TAYLOR followed in the same
train with his predecessors, appears by his mes
sage of December last, thus fully sustaining the
views Of the Senate resolution Of the Sd of March,
1885, the principles Of which may now be con-
sdered as illustrating the policy Of the American
Government on this subject.
This matter, so interesting TO American states
men, seems to have arrested the attention Of the
leading men in Congress, even during the engross-
ing excitement attendant on the slavery question,
which shut out nearly every other important topic
from the consideration of our Senators and Repre-
sentatives. The British treaty, concluded on the
10Th April last, which we shall always consider, on
account of its liberal and philanthropc character, as
rejecting high honor on Sir HENRY LYTToN Bull
WEIR, as well as upon our own Government, has laid
the foundation for the execution of the American
system Of policy, and if faithfully followed out by
both countries must eventually secure ship navi.
CATION between the two oceans. This treaty, which
received the votes Of fourfths Of the Senate, has
SO far can yet learn, been faithfully adhered
to by both the contracting parties. The British
Government has, as we learn, withdrawn all its de.
mands for port and other dues from the harbor o
San Juan de Nicaragua, and the navigation ol
that noble river and the lakes connected with
it are fully open to American enterprise. In the
construction of the treaty the negotiators wisely
avoided as much as possible the discussion of un-
necessary points of controversy. The Mosquito
title seems to have been steadily denied by Mr..
CLAYTON and affirmed by Mr.. BuLwER. The
second article, which settles this question so far as
we are interested in it. left the British Protectorate
bat the shadow Of shade.
We shall have occasion hereafter to review the
features of this excellent treaty when have more
leisure For the present. we only refer our readers
to the correspondence.