New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-03-30
An Ipteresffps Hf.tery-Pofk, Buchanan and
Nicaragua.

sident Of the United States, and James Buchanan
wa. his Secretary Of State. Theirs was regular
Aatfooted Democratic" 81 40 Administration
at ess. 50 far as loud and slous profession could
make i so.
The policy Of this Administration in reference to
other States and Territories in North America IS
described in the most decided terms IN Mr. PolS'
first annual message. The following are extracts
from that document.
The r,,ed States sincerely DESTROYS Of preserving
laons Of good unders anding with al nations r4nn9 h
silence permit any European Interference o. ne Non
American COnrpeni aud should any s1ch ineri'sncs -
ATTEMPTED Will u AMI Al haZsr1s
The people Of he United states cannot view with indf
ference attempts OF European powers 10 interfere VIII me
lucependept action Of he nations on this COnrrert
the existing circ1mt1rces Of tne word TIE presSl
is deemed proper occasion 10 reeraie tno resf'n &
principle svowed bv Mr. Monroe ard n tlsie nv cOIcs
in is wis4on md sOund policy TIE reassef
ton ofthis principle especially n reference 10 Norh A
m Tpropesn power should cherish The disposition N resist
Existing rghs OF every European nation should be -
soeoed hu IL dpe alike to our safety and our Interests
hat the Efficient projection Of laws should be extended
whole Territorial limits and hat should he ois
;ncy 10 the world settled policy that 10
future European Colony Dominion sbsl, With our cor
sent he planted established or any part Of ne NOM
American Continent"
This is all plain enough. Here is the policy OF
this Democratic" Administration announced TO
the world. Mr. Monroes doctrine Is 10 be nam
tanned by il against all Corners. 1t may be interest
ing TO see what commentary certain facts Of history
have to make on this text.
The Union and other journals Of the same KID
ney have had great deal 10 say in praise OF the
conduct Of Messrs. Polk. Buchanan and their
agent. in respect to Nicaragua and the Mosquito
Question and in condemnation Of the course p1r-
sued there by the present Administration We
1 = 49, 1trc no t1fId
alarm that Gen. Taylor and his Cabinet were bent
on betraying 10 Great Britain the honor and inter
ests Of the Republic On this head NC say notn'
ing for the present, but simply propose to sho"
how the late Democratic Administration cared
for those interests and that honor and as stand
ard by which TO judge we have introduced the
above quotations. 1t is always far to measure
practice by profession.
Those who rcco.ect how pitilully thoOs q discreet
". the last Administration backed out after their
buster on the Oregon affair, Will not expect that
such trial viii yield very pleasing results IN the
| present case, but they will hardly be prepared for
the peculiar revelations we about to lay before
| them.
The facts we narrate below are drawn from the
official documents which are on file in the Nlcara.
guam archives For our acquaintance with them
we are indebted to gentleman interested IN that
country who has kindly communicated their sub
stance for our columns. The statement is as
follows
In the month Of March, ls47, Christopher
Hampstead all American citizen then residing at
Belize was appointed by Mr. Polk Consul OF the
United States for that port. His commission as
such was forwarded by Mr. Buchanan to Mr.. Ban
croft our Minister in London with instructions TO
present the same TO Lord Palmerston, the British
Minister Of Foreign Affairs, and TO ask Oh behalf
of Mr. Hampstead Her Britannia Majesty Exc
quatur By this act Mr.. Polk recognized to its
fullest extent the right of sovereignty over Belize
and the adjacent Territory to be in Great Britain
and not an Honduras. In due course OF time the
royal Exequatur was forwarded from the Colonial
office in London, to Mr. Hampstead, in Belize. and
by virtue of that he has discharged the duties OF
American Consul at that port.
During the troubles in Yucatan in ls47 and
| ls4s, Mr. Hampstead, American Consul at BE
hze, communicated TO Mr. Buchanan, as Secreta-
nv of State in several letters that the British au
thorities at Belize were openly rendering assis
| lance 10 tue uhu tNIi'S'VN hia "N'i"NN
\ convictions that the object of such interference
as they had previouhly succeeded in doing in the
| Mosquito Territory He also strenuously admonish-
ed him that ifsuch an attemptwere successful Great
| Britain would enjoy sole possession OF the Atlantic
| Coast from Leon de Nicaragua TO Cape Coste on
| the northern extremity OF Yucatan.
| In November ls47, the British authorities SER.
ously contemplated attacking and capturing the
| port of san Juan De Nicaragua, under the pretence
| that it of right belonged to the Mosquito King
Senior Builrseo was then Secretary Of the Repub.
lie of Nicaragua, and, being well aware Of the de-
sign OF the British authorities. he addressed off.
cial communication to Mr. Buchanan az Secretary
of State, notifying him OF the threatened invasion
Of the Territory Of Nicaragua, by Great Britain as
| the ally of Mosquito and impored the interposi
ton of the United States in aiding Nicaragua 10
| prevent it. This irterposi,on was asked for not
| only on the score Of humanity, but irum the fact
that the United States had deep interest AZ stake
in the contemplated inter-oceanic canal then occu
pyinc the attention OF both England and the Uni.
ted States But the authorities Of Nicaragua did
not rest here Within a month after the above
dispatch was transmitted 10 Mr. Buchanan the Su.
premc Director OF Nicaragua, 10 guard against the
contingency OF delay, in the event OF his Secretary
letter not reaching Mr.. Buchanan, wrote himself
directly to Mr.. Polk as President of the United
States In that letter he expressed in the highest
terms bis APPRECIATION OF the Monroe Doctrine as re-
affirmed by MIR. Polk in his first Annual Message
aud sdmonished him OF the great danger that tx
is,ed, Of the feeble Republic Of Nicaragua being
absorbed by the overgrown monarchy Of Great
Britain in the name Of the Mosquito King AT
the same time he assured Mr.. Polk Of the earnest
desire Of Nicaragua to establish friendly rels
tons with the United States ami 70 secure II pos
sible our assistance in resisting the unjust aggres
sions OF that monarchy upon her rights. He also
in his letter to Mr., Polk wsued him Of the De
sign of Great Britain to possess herself OF the
tire coast OF Nicaragua, with view OF securing the
control of this inter-ocesnic cana Nethc7 O.
these official communications was noticed by Mr.
Polk or Mir Buchanan.
About the same period that the above eommu
nica,ions were written, Mr. Livingston, the United
States Consul at San Juan De Nicaragua, also al