The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-08

=. If the scope and bearing" OF the treaty was
.oyn 10 any one, Secretary Clayton, Sir Henry
aausr and The Naiiosal Ikhgeaeer, il may be safely
..msd that the Senate intrusled with the import
!, .se,et On Thursday Senator Csss in bis place
!, hs express purpose OF dsclaiming all knowledge OF
n existence OF the Interpretation assented TO by
i, CLAYTON at The instance OF the British minister. We
.o,s from the remarks OF General Cass:
Rnt in the conesp ondence which been Transmitted
, there is a very extraordinary fact disclosed and J.
as one of the who voted for the ratification
hs treaty OF 1850 DESIRE the time that this cor
goes TO the world, TO let IL be distinctly
l.,,ood that not amongst those W ho that
,ined tho construction which have been put
NON that treaty II had been OF opinion any such
Construction would have been pat upon IT, should
b,yod voted for It's ratification"
Again
AIN answer that Mo Clayton says that the negoatos
an the part Of ,hs governments understood the
ke-that is, that neither OF them understood Central
America to be Central America at all, but that both OF
hem understood that upon the face OF Tho treaty though
Central America included yet the British claims
thereon excluded Instead OF putting that fact In the
ueaiy ITSELF should have been done, sending that
understanding the Senate the time Of the ratification
Of the treaty. nothing Of the sort done The treaty
embraced Central America, and 1t voted upon by the
Senate under that impression. But that both
salu tury ana not mean central America
oay p rtlon OF H. Mr.. President for my
M when for the ratification OF that treaty had
not the slightest doubt that il prevented the British gov
emmett from establishing colonial dependency in that
part Of the country. My friend from Indiana IM Bght,l
and think my friend from Ohio (Mr Chase and know
my colleague, tMr Fechl will recoliect that distinctly
stated that my object in voting for that treaty sweep
away all British claim to Central America confess
that my honorable friend from Indiana warned me against
voting tho treaty. Whether warning was the efcc,
NJ iuAv
anticipated good from the treaty, and voted against it,
And still further:
sin reference The mentioned in the para
graph which last read, have called this morning
our late respected presiding officer whose absence all
much lament. but who hope will be u.s.
for am happy to inform tue Senate that found him bet
conversed with Colonel King. and he authorized
say that there is entire mistake this point He
told that after this quasi ratification came from Eng
land on the 10th june he had interview with Mr.
Clayton, who desired to know il the treaty should be
back the Senate Tor Its action this conditional rat
fcation He told Mr. Clayton that ii il there for
purposes would not get vote In the Senate. And that Till
This day he supposed project ping this
abandoned and that the stood upon its
provisions Colonel King further said he some general
idea of claim of England to lockwood Honduras,
bu. no thought of its being up the foundation
Of a pretension 10 establish colony there"
Mr. Downs tes,ies to the same effect, and with greater
emphasis
al rise to express the very great as,onishmen,
which felt when saw in the Union Of this morning the
documents from the Secretary Of States Office
prsed the construction which Mr. Clayton, the late
Secretary State placed upon that treaty. l. SIR well
the from Michigan, certainly understood
the treaty in that form and thnk may 10 20
further and say that member OF the Senate under
Stood it, should have concurred in il if had
supposed tina, it effected that object, The only doubt
had whether the expression Central America
sufficient to embrace Honduras; but was assured by the
Secretary OF State that II well understood by both par
ties that that tho very object Of the Central
America and it only on that assurance that well
many who consulted, voted for tho atca-
ton of the treaty.
Il would look the dale Of the letter APP
pended this document written by Mr. Clayton and ad-
dressed Sir Henry Bulwer BY examining they will
that there is great probability that Mr.. Clayton
acted in this matter on bis own authority. without consult
ing The President The cabinet Yon will recolec,,
Mr. President that the 4h of July, the day OF the
change of the Publications of the treaty. the then President
OF the United States taken sick, and died few days
afterwards. He certainly confined his bed the
9TH Of that month"; and infer from this circumstance that
Mr. Clayton exchanged the notifications Of the treaty with
out the authority of the cabinet the President, and
without consulting the Senate although they had been
consulted in every prior stage OF the proceeding.
ibid not rise discuss the subject merely wished
make this explanation, and express my
at this portion OF diplomatic spondence and
III
as much asonhment as II struck this morning, when
saw il for the first time"
Mr. Chase is equally explicit in disclaming the posses
sion Of the information which The IreLi,gsneer boasts Of
having communicated TO the " reading public .
Now, cir, 1 am perfectly tree say for one that
doubling greatly, did the time, the expedicncy
the ratification, should have voted il had sup
posed that secret construction put upon It.
concilsbic with the obvious import Of its Language. i
would have been impossible, in my Judgment 10 have
cured its ratification, had its language conveyed The
which the private Interpretation of Mr. Clsyons letter
puts upon H. Indeed. doubt whether any would
have voted for the ratification, had it been supposed
At the very time The treaty onder consideration here
correspondence was in progress Of which the Senate
not apprzed, with tho view of fixing In advance The
sructon of the treaty, by imposing upon senss
quite different from their natural and obvious import
Against this unyaryng testimony OF democratic sen.
a.ors. friend OF the administration uttered word By
the general confession OF the Senate that body was entire
y ignorant Of the secret understanding between Mr. Clay
ton and Sir Henry Bulwer and the Integsnesr advance,
absurd and unfounded preension in claiming to hav,
enlightened the public upon the subject.
We need offer no upon the position in which
Secreiay Clayton placed by the disclosure of the
ere, understanding between himself and the British min
lister For the honor OF the country. coudlwish thai
the deporabe transaction yelled from The eye Of the
world for j, exhibits American Secretary OF State
lgb, which citizen contemplate without unspeak
able shame and regret In the private transactions oil
men such conduct would incur the reproach Of duplciy
and would justly subject the party the indignant cen
OF public opinion. Nay, morc contract between