The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-10
A3s,rs Of Central America.


the se,cral States Of Central Amerca-Engiand'
usual in this sort Of Intervention, taking the in-
itiatiye There is something wrong, something
fraucht with mischief, in this business, from the
beginning to the end. What right has England to
assume the functions of guardian the Central
American States? and under what exigsncy or ne
cessity Is it that Mr. Webster consents to play Sc
cond fiddle to Mr.. Champion in thisprecious conven-
ton Of joint protection. The Monroe doctrine Of
foreign non intervention disayows tho right Of any
European State to intermeddle in the domestic con-
Germs of the independent States of this continent
The Fillmore doctrine Of neutrality Is equally cp-
pssed to any oHicous sOlcitude own part in
the domestic concerns Of our neighbors. Kossuth
himself only asks that every nation shall be per-
mitted and sustained in the right, II Necessary or
managing its own internal affairs.
The whole policy Of our government IL regard 10
Central America, since the connecting u the Clay
ton treaty, has been nothing more nor less than a
series of concessions to England On tho one hand,
and of usuvpations of the rights Of our neighbcrs
on the other. In the Clayten treaty thsro was
something satisfactory in the solemn explicit, and
mutual Iclinq uishment, between the contracting
parties, of all claims Of sovereignty jurisdiction,
and OF all intentions to set up any claims 10 juris
0tctlOn OF coloDlLAon over any PcfI.ou VI thc ~
,itories of the Mosquito coast, or Of any of the
States OF Central America. Such was the explicit
disclaimer extorted from Sir Henry Bulwer, in the
Clayton treaty, in reference especially to the Mos
quito coast.
But that treaty was not satisfactory to England.
Her emissarcs and her naval officers violated it
most inpudently at San Juan or Groytoun, in MAIN
tanning her Esjesty's pretcnsons to the protscto-
&c 49, Al.
Of open The matter was explained away hut
the British government made it the pretence and
pretext for treaty of flexible character.
This ne treaty, understand u, cedes the town
of San juan to Nicaragua but substantially returns
the whole Of the Mosquito coast, excepting this mud
village at the mouth of the river back to the pro-
lection of Great Britain In addition to this, Nessrs
Champion and Webster assume the .jointstock regu-
lation of al the internal concerns of the Central
American States, as far as they deem it necessary
marking out the boundaries Oft the several States as
if these treaty making parties had subjugatod them
all at the point of the bayonet. But still the qucs.
ton recurs, what rights of jurisdiction Central
American affairs Of purely local concern has Great
Britain' whence did she derive them! and under what
authority of international law have we not only
consented to these British usurpat;ons, but have
become joint partner in extending them from the
Mosquito coast, over the whole surface of Central
America
We had once treaty of joint occupation with
England over the Oregon territory. 1t finally
brought us TO the verge of war. Peace was only
preserved by division of the land between the two
nations. We apprchend that the same nest-ogg,
through the concessions Of Mr.. Clayton and Mr..
Webster, has been laid in Central America for
rntu ~ .;x1. 1 4
end we shall perhaps have peace down there by di-
viding that entire country with John Bull. The
true policy of maintaining the independence Of Gen.
trail America, and of keeping it clear from foreign
aggrcssions and foreign dominion, has been wholly
subyertsd by British diplomacy
| THE STATEN ISLAND CALLMTY.-The deplorable
occurrence which took place at the ferry landing on
Staten Island, on Monday last, instantancously
launching nearly score Of women and children
into eternity, AID bringing wo and dcsolation into
the bosom of many family-some of whose men,
bers or relatives thus cut off in the very hour
of epjoyment-cast deep gloom over the celebra-
ton in this city, of great national anniversary,
and converted the exuberanee Of popular joy into
feeling of depression, sorrow and sadness. And
though still the gloom Of this melancholy event
| overshadows the city, and though its victims have
| been only consigned to their premature graves
few hours. yet in the minds Of the public authori-
ties who charged with the protection of the peo-
pie against such calamitous accidents as may be
averted by the exercise OF common prudence, the
whole sad transaction appears to have passed away
lke the "baseless fabric of a vision and left no i'm
precision or record Of its having occurred at all.
The public have right TO expect minute and
distinct and full Investigation, by the proper autho-
rites into the this melancholy destruction
Of human life, and whether blame is attributable to
any parties-and to whom-for ncglecting TO adopt
suitable precautions to guard against such an nc
cident. This investigation has not been made--no
explanation Of tho circumstances by the proper
thorities has yet been giyen-nor does there
seem any chance Of its ever being afforded. The
coroners' juries in New York and Staten Island
have eynded the real question, end contented them
selves with simply stating the Of death Of the
pooS victims, to be drowning in consequence Of
the breaking Of che ferry bridge" No other action
has been taken BY those whose duty it s. to nsti-
tGte rigorous investigation into the whole matter;s
but, On the contrary, attempts have been made to
remove the suspicion Of culpable negligence, by q
volunteer statement from some residents Of the
island, exonerating from all blame the proprietor
and servants Of the ferry. On the other hand. how.
ever the reporters Of the daily press Of this city,
and all who have inspected the broken bridge con-
cur in asserting, most distinctly and une4uivocaiy
that there gross and culpable negligence on
the part of the company and its empioyts--that the
suspension bridge was insecure, for the mini
mum amount Of traffic to and from the island, and
wholly inadequate to support the crowds of pleasure
seekers on Sundays and holidays-that proper re-
gard for the safety Of passengers would have die
tated the construction of floating support, as
adopted on the Brooklyn ferries; and, finally that
no precautions whatever we're taken to prevent the
occurrence Of such an accident.
II s not the province of the press to decide as to
which Of these conflicting statements is nearest the
IL.