New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-03-24
Central America.

the representative Of Costa RIGA, are now
engaged at Washington in drawing up the
bases on which it is proposed to settle at
once the difficulties between the United
States and England with reference to the
Central American question, as well as those
betwe en- England and Nicaragua, and be-
tween Costa RIGA and Nicaragua. Mr.
MARcoLETA, the able representative of Mica
ragua, is, we are sorry to say, not present at
these conferences, not having received in-
structions in that respect from the govern
ment of that State, and the late revolution
having prevented the organization of the
new federal union and government, includ-
ing Nicaragua, Honduras and San Salvador,
to which each of those States has decided
to delegate the management of its foreign
affairs.
Though the expulsion Of Lord Palmerston
from the British Cabinet, and the advent Of
Lord Granville, were followed by the re-
call of the bullying Chatfeld from Central
America and the appointment Off new man
in his place, no essential change has been
made in the direction of British policy.
The instructions which Lord Granville gave
to Mr.. Crampton-instruction under which
he is now acting, and which we presume
the new Foreign Secretary, Lord Mdmes'
bury, will not revoke ARE the same IS the
British Legation had before received from
Lord Palmerston. They are, that m set
Ting the Central American question, Nicar-
aqua shall be required to indemnify the
King of the Mosquitoes for the surrender Of
the port of San Juan and to establish,
conformity with England, a boundary
line between her own territory and
the Mosquito Kingdom. Mr.. Cramp-
ton is also instructed to support the
claim of Costa Rica to Guanacaste, a pro-
vince which is in dispute between Nicaragua
and that republic, and the right to which, as
we showed some time since, is much more
clearly with Nicaragua than with The other
party. This claim involves a vast tract Of
land, partly wild and partly settled, extend
ing from the Pacific, along the southern
shore of Lake Nicaragua and the right bank
of the river San Juan, to the Atlantic.
Costa Rica also claims the right of freely
using the port of San Juan, the river and
the lake, without paying any duty to Mic
arsgua. And these claims, as we have
stated, Mr.. Champion is instructed to sup.
port and if possible, to have recognized and
established in treaty to which England
and the United States shall be parties.
In conformity with these instructions, Mr..
Champion has declared to Mr.. Webster that
he will not treat at all, except Costa RIGA
be a party to the negotiations. To this
demand Mr.. Webster has assented, and Mr..
Molina is accordingly made a share, in
the conferences above referred to, which,
as we believe, commenced at Washington
on Thursday last.
The object of this action of the British
Government is plain. 1t is to preserve,
through Costa Rica, foothold on the great
channel Of communication across the Gen.
trail American isthmus. The MOSQUITO
Kingdom must shrink back into its original
proportions the port of San Juan, whose
dishOnOrable seizure was so carelessly per-
mitted by the administration of Messrs.
Polk and Buchanan, must be surrendered
to Nicaragua, its rightful owner; but Costa
Rica has long been and still is province
under British control, and by giving her the
possession of one shore of the river San
Juan and of Lake Nicaragua, with the right
of unobstructed navigation, England secures
the means of power and influence in Gen.
tral America against whatever emergency.
This is the reason why Mr.. Champion is
instructed to support Costa RIGA in these
very flimsy claims against Nicaragua.
Such was the state of things at the
opening Of the negotiations now pending.
We think the duty Of the American Gov
eminent was plain in the matter. In the
first place it was to insist on the abandon
ment Of San Juan by the English and its
restoration 10 the power holding it at the
time Of its recent seizure, to Nicaragua.
This is rendered imperative by our position
as party to the Clayton and Bulwsr treaty,
as well as by our commercial interests gen.
orally. That treaty, and all our relations,
put us in The position of mediator in be-
half Of Nicaragua, and Of protector Of
Nicaragua SO far as the question Of San
Juan is concerned Rut in this con..r.-sr