The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-28

Satisfaetery Adjustments"
have just read in letter frcm Washington
published in one Of the most respectable papers
in the United States or elsewhere. that the atfaiI
! of the Prometheus, " together with almost every
question of Importance in regard to our foreign
relation, is now satisfactorily adjusted, and il
must be allowed that they have been managed
with great discretion by the government"
am sorry cannot agree with the writer.
Those who have read the correspondence be-
tween the American minister and the British
secretary for foreign affairs, will SEQ that the
of the application of the former, but " in conse-
quence of despatch from the Admiral, CON-
handing the West India station apprising the
government of the attack on the Prometheus "
SO says the British foreign secretary and it
follows that the discretion of the government
of the United States had nothing to do in the
business, but that the dsayowal of the Secretary
was made on the report of the ADMIRAL of the
West India station. But this is not of much
consequence
1t will be perceived that the British foreign
secretary disavows the outrage on the Prone
lheus, simply on the G ound of being violation
Of what is called the CLAYTON and BULwER
Treaty. Of course he considers that treaty still
in force, and, consequently, that the government
of the United States has acquiesced in the Brit
ish construction of the first article, to wit ::
that so far from carrying with it a relinquish
ment of the usurpations of Great Britain in
Central America, it amounts to direct acknowl-
edgement of her claims as guardian and pro.
tector of the priessant King of the Mosquitoes.
The British foreign secretary does not dis
claim the right of his government to lay and
collect duties at ST. Juan, port always hereto
fore appertaining to the State of Nicaragua, from
the time of the conquest by British authorities
pretending to act for this mongrel sovereign.
On the contrary, he studously abstains from
saying word on the main question connected
with the attack on the Premetheus, which is,
whether the protection of the Mosquitoes was,
or was not, relinquished by England in the
CLAYTON and BULwER treaty. AT the Same
time, by considering the treaty as in force, ac-
cording to the British construction, he virtually
asserts the claim of his government to one third
of the State of Nicaragua, comprehending the
only possible outlet for an inter oceanic ship
canal on the Caribbean sea, connecting the two
great oceans Of the world.
This claim is again virtually asserted in the
q, I.kt ~
model of diplomatic courtesy-in which he
designates Mr.. JAMES GREEN as not only Her
Majesty's consul at Greytown," but also, ga
principal officer of the Mosquito government at
that place." Thus, at the same time asserting
the government of the Mosquito King, and pro-
claiming the co-partnership of Her "august"
Britannia Majesty-as Mr.. FILLMORE salutes
her-and that renowned King of shreds and
patches" Yet this is, it is to BIZ presumed, one
of those satisfactory adjustments which do such
credit to the discretion of the government.
Nobody, believe, doubts the discretion" of
our Secretary of State--at least before dinner !;
but his valor, especially in contests with Eng
Iand, is rather more than questionable.
The firing on the Prometheus, being thus
satisfactorily adjusted" let us now speculate
on tho probable results. The government of
the United States having received the disclaimer
of the British secretary rs satisfactory ad-
justmeEt of the affair, and as full atonement
for the outrage, without the slightest abandon
ment of the pretence on which it was founded,
th,r of H.. g
quito puppet King, the British government of
course, feels perfectly safe in continuing its en-
croachments in Central America, by virtue of
that protectorate. If any future remonstrance
should be made against it, we shall probably be
told, as in the case of the treaty, 50 that in re.
ceiving mere disclaimer of the attack on the
Prometheus, unaccompanied by any disavowal
of the right of the British government to act in
the name and behalf of the King of the Mus
quitos, you recognized that right, and having
thus twice done so, it is now too late to cnll it
in question" A few years more of passive &C.
quiescence in British usurpation in Central
| America, will constitute sufficient title for a
government, which for ages past has seized,
without scruple and without right, almost every
important commercial position in all quarters of
the globe.
The firing of British vessel of war, on
vessel under the American flag, and VIGOROUSLY
American, ought, in my opinion, to have brought
the whole controversy in relation to the hue
meaning of the CLAYTON and BULwER treaty,
to an issue. 1t shows distinctly that the United
States must submit to pay commercial duties to
an authority which they not only have not
recognized, but absolutely repudiated, and which
they believed, and had a right to believe had
been forever relinquished, or that the protect
crate of the Musquitos must be abandoned.
We have the authority of Mr.. SourER, in his
late work on Nicaragua should be read
by every man who wishes to understand the
Importance of this question--that the entire
control of that burlesque on all government is
in the hands of the British consul that the port