Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-02-15
THE CENTRAL AMERICA QUESTION


THE CENTRAL AMERICA QUESTION.
Our readers have already learned that on FRI
day last the Committee on Foreign Relations in
the SeEate made their report respecting the
Clayton treaty and British colonization in Gen.
trail America After long and careful deliberatiou
the committee have come to the sage conclusion
that nothing need be done in the premises. Thus
this mighty affair ends in smoke, and the war
dogs of the Democratic party again give evidence
of the fact that their bark is than their bite.
+ The rumbling .thunder of Gen. Cass' eloquence,
and the terrible lightning of Mr. Soule's rhetoric
have been followed by very pitiful shower after
| all. The storm that threatened to unnihilate Mr.
Clayton, and to sweep Great Britain from this
continent, has turned out to be as small tempest
as ever spent its rage within the limits of
pot. Never since the memorable days of $40 has
so much bullying and braggadocio been followed
by so lame and impotent conclusion. We re-
produce the committees resolution, together with
an abstract of the accompanying report:
RESOLVED, (asthe opinion ofthe comntee) That the
declaration the part of h British government and
the reply thereto Secretary OF Stale preliminary
the exchange Of itcdtous the concluded
Washington between governments OF Great Britain
and the United States, he 18TH April $780, import
nothing nan a1mas on on the part of the two
their unclonares at the time OF such
exchange that nothing contained IN the treaty was 10 be
considered affecting the title existing rights OF Great
Britain he English settlements IN Hondui Bay
And sueay in the opinion OF the committee, thai
no necessary The part OF the Senate TO
be taken because OF sucn declaration and reply.
The report of the committee that the COMMITTEES
have been unable satisfactorily ascertain what is
the extent OF the claim pretensions OIL Great BIZ
thin regard to the territory or dominion ON the Gull
OF Honduras. In the unsettled condition Of the country
k.t.. anIt onntnn -
very manifest that whether with without the sanction
of the British government the settlers there pushed their
occupancy far beyond the southern limits asssned to
them by treaty, and it now appears that rights as
serted mint n such occupancy as Il stood In ISL
when the colonies were dIsmembered from Spaln
These questions properly belonging to the powers
of Great Britain and Guatemala; but the question OF
dominion is of different character, and it in the
disposition of which this government be in
different Whether it shall ultimately be determined
that the English settlements on the Honduras in
Mexico Guatemala the question remains the same as
regards the United States and connected with this
inquiry the committee have considered 1t incumbent on
them to express opinion. They then enter into a
long argument this subject, and close the report as
follows:
the whole the committee therefore report their
opinion the Senate: That the Islands of Roatan
Bonaeca Utla Barbant. Helena and Morat, in and near
the Bay of Honduras constitute part othe territory of
the republic of Honduras. and therefore form part
of Central American, and in consequence that any
patton OF colonization of these islands by Great Britain
would be violation OF the treaty OF the 10th April 10 So
The committee. from the information before them,
terrain decided opinion that the British settlements at
Belize defined by the treaties with Spain lie within
the territory of the republic of Guatemala and SO equal
ly constitute part of Central America. Should such
be the fact whilst the committee are not prepared TO say
that the engagements OF the treaty $50 would require
that those settlements shall be abandoned aud dscon
tinued the part of Great Britain yet this Government
would have just of complaint against any extern
of the limits of these settlements beyond those pre-
scribed by Spain, further allowed by the republics
where they may be formed and that in any manner to
enlarge change the character of those by
my mode of jurisdiction would be in violation OF said
treaty.
A week or two since, Mr.. Mason, the chairman
ofthis committees took occasion to declare in his
Senatorial place. with an imperial air. that it 1t
should prove true that Great Britain had estab-
iished colony in British Honduras such colony
ssmust be discontinued" 1t will be seen that the
distinguished gentleman has lowered his tone
greatly. He counses no rash and hasty meas
sures, but contents himself with argument
against the English right of dominion in Central
America. His report. far able to
Judge, is studiously non-committal, and leaves
9 the subject precisely as it stood before. We are
no wiser now than we were then in respect to
Britain, which so alarmed thevigilance of Gen.
$ Cass. aud which have recently been made the
theme of so much speculation and discussion
The committee virtually acknowledge their total
Ignorance on the subject, and very prudenty for
bear to recommend the adoption of any measures
in regard to it.
We presume that this Central American bust
ness will now be dropped until it shall again suit
the purposes of INSCRIPTIONS partizaus and de-
magogues to drag it into the political arena. 1t
was originally taken up as stick wherewith to
break the head of Wing administration, but so
signally has the attempt been foied, that we do
not anticipate an early renewal of the expert
ment.
Washington Union and The Democratic Reuie,o.
The great political prize fight between these
two organs has not yet terminated. In the
Union of Saturday find II brief but bitter re-
joinder to the late letter of admiral Sanders"
The following extract will suffice as a specimen.
It is pleasant to witness the interchange of such
agreeable ciyties between brethren of the same