The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-02-22


Senate, has made report on our Central
American Treaty with England, which must
fall short of the bold aspirations Of Young
America. Messrs. Cass and Douglass in the
Senate, who are in the van Of this advancing.
section of our people, cannot be pleased with
the conclusions of the report. 1t appears to
sustain Mr.. Clayton's interpretation ofits stip.
ulations British Honduras vas not in Z
the contemplation of the parties to it; but
that according to itsspirit, Great Britain has
no right to extend the limits, whatever they
are, of her settlements in Honduras. The ex-
tent of the British possession is q terra incog-
nita.
What she may rightfully or wrongfllly
claim as possessory right, since 1921, when
disruption of Spanish dominion took place
on this Continent, is part Of the mystery in
which this question is involved. With the
question of territory it is admitted the United
States have no concern. It's matter Of settle-
ment between. Great Britain and Guatemala,
and the State of Hondusas. The question of do J
m;a;os is said to stand on different footing.
The occupancy of territory that has neither
lbeen ceded nor conquered carries with it no
rightful jurisdiction. Great Britain must
show title on one or other of these grounds
before she can establish her authority over
any part of Central America, even the Belize
before she can rightfully colonize. ltisvery
evident that the extension ofthe British settle
ment at Honduras, by parties without the
sanction of the British Government, or even
with it, places it in an anomalous condition. :
It is not British possession in any legal sense
of the term. 1t is such an occupancy as has
not been accompanied with the usual formsli.
ties. but the result of mere individual adven-
ture. Great Britain disclaims the exercise OF
dominion over Honduras. She had done SO
by the act of Parliament r 1919 in establish
inr q special tribunal Of try offences at Belize,
there being no established authority there even
of the grade of plantation, port or factory
This is very like the abdication OF dominion.
But whatever may be the conclusioh as to
the settlement at Belize orfHonduras, the
Committee are clearly ofopinion that the oc.
cupancy of the islands s7called. the Bay of Is
lands, forming part ofthe Republic of Hon
duras, is in violation of the treaty of the 18th
of April, 1850, called the Central American
or Clayton and Buwer treaty. Still the fnal
inference of the Committee is somewhat more
moderate than the terms of the speech made
by it's Chairman Mr.. Mason, who spoke on
this subject, and who affirmed that those pos
sessions must be abandoned by Great Britain.
On the contrary the Committee ''are not pre-.
pared to say that the engagements of tho
treaty Of 1850 would require that those settle.
mepts shall be abandoned and discontinued on
the part of Great Britain, yet this Govern
ment would have just cause of complaint
against any extension Of the limits Of these
settlements beyond those prescribed by Spain
or as further allowed by the Republics where
they may be found; and that in any manner to
enlarge or change the character Of these set-
Elements, by any mode of jurisdiction, would
be in violation Of said treaty"
Charleston Eve. Neus