The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-09
OFFICIAL.
BIZ the President of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas q Convention between the United
States Of America and Her Brittanlc Majesty, for
facilitating and protecting the construction ola Ship
Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
and for other purposes, was concluded and signed
at Washington on the nineteenth day of April last,
which Convention is, word for word as follows
Convention bet,oeen the United States Of Amerca and
her Brittanic Majesty
The United States of America and her Brittanic
Majesty, being DESTROYS of consolidating the rela-
tons of amity which so happily subsist between
them, by setting forth and fixing in convention
their views and intentions with reference to any
means of communication by ship canal which may
be constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, by the way Of the river San Juan de Nj
caragua, and either or both of the Lakes of Mica
ragua or Managua, to any port or place on the
Pacific ocean the President of the United States
has conferred full powers on John M. Clayton,
Secl etary> Of State Of the United States, and her
Brittanic Majesty on the Right Honorable Sir
Henry Lytton Bulwer, a member of her Majesty 5
Most Honorable Privy Council, Knight Com
mander Of the Most Honorable Order Of the Bath,
and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
tertiary Of her Brittanic Majesty to the United
States for the aforesaid purpose and the said
| Penipotentiaries, having exchanged their full
powers, which were found to be in proper form,
have agreed to the following articles
ARTICLE i.
The Governments of the United States and
Great Britain hereby declare that neither the one
nor the other will ever obtain maintain for itself
any exclusive control over the said ship canal;
agreeing that neither will ever erect or maintain
any Notifications commanding the same, or in
the vicinity thereof, occupy, or fortify, col
onize, or assume exercise any dominion over
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or
any part of Central America; nor will either
make use of any protection which either affords
or may afford, or any alliance which either has
L.. Stota ao,la f,-
the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such
Notifications, of occupying, terrifying, or colo
nizing Nicaragua, Costa RIGA, the Mosquito
coast, or any part Of Central America, or of as
Stunning or exercising dominion the same;
nor will the United States Great Britain take
advantage of any intimacy, or use any alliance,
connection, or influence that either may possess
with any State or Government through whose ter
rtory the said canal may pass, for the purpose of
acquiring or holding, directly or indirectly, for
the citizens or subjects Of the one, any rights or
advantages in regard to commerce or navigation
through the said canal which shall not be offered
on the same terms to the citizens or subjects of
the other.
ARTICLE III.
Vessels of the United States or Great Britain
traversing the said canal shall, in case of war be-
tween the contracting parties, be exempted from
blockade, detention, or capture by either OF the
belgerents; and this provision shall extend to
such a distance from the two ends of the said
canal as may hereafter be found expedient to
establish.
ARTICLE III.
In order to secure the construction Of the said
canal, the contracting parties engage that IT any
such canal shall be undertaken upon fair and equ-
table terms by any parties having the authority
Of the local Government or Governments through
whose territory the same may pass, then the per-
sons employed in making the said canal, and
,l, mead IN be need object
shall be protected, from the commencement of
the said canal to its completion, by the Govern
ments Of the United States and Great Britain,
from unjust detention, confscation, seizure, or
any violence whatever.
ARTICLE Nv.
The contracting parties will use whatever rau-
ence they respectively exercise with any State,
States, or Governments, possessing, or claiming
TO POSSESS any jurisdiction or right over the terri
tory which the said canal shall traverse, which
shall be near the waters applicable thereto, in
order to induce such States or Governments TO
facilitate the construction of the said canal by
every means in their power; and, furthermore,
the United States and Great Britain agree to use
their good offices, wherever or however 1t may be
most expedient, in order to procure the establish
ment of two free ports, one at each end OF the
said canal.
ARTICLE V.
The contracting parties further engage that
when the said canal shall have been completed,
they will protect it from interruption, seizure, or
unjust confscation, and that they will guaranty
the neutrality thereof, SO that the said canal may
forever be open and free, and the capital invested
therein secured. Nevertheless, the Governments
of the United States and Great Britain, in accord
ing their protection to the construction Of the said
canal, and guarantyng its neutrality, and security
when completed, always understand that this
protection and guaranty are granted conditionaly,
and NAV be Withdrawn by both Governments or
either Government, III both Governments or either