Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-15


and therefore could not have been communicated. TIT
message, them clearly shows, in my opinion that th
President understood the treaty precisely We do
thought this document important that have brought
il the attention of the Senate while the subject is be
1 fore us.
| Mr., PEARCE / think the Senator from Louisiana
has inexperienced the meaning of the paragraph which
he read from the message President Taylor The Pre-
sident when he speaks Of the treaty giving proec
ton TO the capitalists who may undertake TO construct
any canal or railway the Ishmus, commencing in
the southern part Of Mexico and terminating in the ter
rtory OF New Granada alluded to the different PROPOSE
tons for making an nter-oceanic communication
different parts Of the Ishmu by the Tehuante.
pee route another by the Panama railroad and the third
was by the way Of Nicaragua And when he speaks OF
the territory commencing at the southern part of Mexico
and running to New Granada he speak Of it in regard to
the different parts through which these three different
routes were proposed to be constructed That is all II
IS true he says:
81" has been my object in ne eoatnp this treaty mot only
70 secure the passage the hmus the Government
ana citizens of the United States BY the construction of
great highway dedicated to the Of all nations equal
terms but TO maintain the independence sovereignty
all the Central American Republics"
In my judgment that treaty if it be violated, does
ehect those objects 1t maintains the sovereignty and
independence Of Guatemala Salvador Costa RIGA, Mica
ragua, and Honduras. 1t takes away from the British
all shadow OF pretence for enforcing dominion over
what Is called the Mosquito shores 1t stops the
croachments which at the time they were making by
ming the claim Of the Mosquito King below the river
juan and extending it from Cupe Honduras to Escuda
de Veragua, as Mr. Buchanan says they were doing in
his letter OF June 3D. 1S48 to Mr. Hise and it prohibits
all further attempts the part of Great Britain to
tablsh her dominions there by of her so-caed
protectorate or by coonzng the Mosquito Shores
in any of the Central American States
VIII add-though 1T is not appropriate to this debate
ana have endeavored to refrain from speaking any
subject except what belongs the it rather
seems to to be encroachmen the part of Great
TO take possession of the islands the southern
shore Of Honduras bay. So limited, think, when
spoke Monday but refraiued from expressing myself
directly because it did not properly belong the
betose the Senate my object being vindicate late
Secretary Of State from the charge of having by his
respondence with Sir H. Buwer effected change in the
treaty after its ratification repeat the question
which asked when addressing the Senate before if the
construction of theSenator from Michigan is right and
the treaty intended exclude British occupation
from the whole of Central America including " British
Honduras" why is it that that Senator, learned and
astute he is and familiar with our foreign affairs has
never from the date of its ratification down to the pre-
sent Tune, period Of two years and six months
strated against the continued occupation by Great Br
ain which, in his view of the treaty is violation of it ?
Mr. CASS. will tell the honorable Senator directly
Mr. SHIELDS. have no wish, after what has been
presented to the Senate by the honorable Senator from
louisiana to add any thing to what he has stated rise
at this me not to interfere in this question of veracy
or even about the construction of the treaty
Mr. PEARCE. 1t is not question of veracity.
Mr. SHIELDS. Well, not yeracity; for there is
question of reracty in fact in the case; is mat
ter OF information and perhaps misunderstanding But
repeat what have said before that whether you give
TO this treaty the meaning upon il by the negotat
their own private understanding whether you give it
the meaning that the language imports, the treaty has
been violated by the seizure of these islands So far
Belize or what is termed British Honduras is concerned
am not disposed to enter into that question and
for this think it might be mpolitic for at
this time to construe the treaty in relation to it APP
prehend in doing it light embarrass friends here
after shall leave that question for the future but
what mean to state is ths-and happy say that
the honorable Senator from Louisiana MR. SoULE) has
established it this morninghe islands that have been
erected into what called the Colony Of the Bay Islands
never belonged to British Honduras its dependencies
The honorable Senator from Louisiana shows that by the
treaty of 1856 Great Britain had right of occupancy
the Bay Of Honduras He goes further and states what
is, believe, overlooked by the honorable Senators who
spoke the other sde that that right reassered
and reesabshed by the treaty of 1914 and that it
nothing than icense-the right of occupan
c the right to cut logwood carry off mahogany and
erect structures and buildings for that purpose and that
alone.
That treaty embraces the district The district there
defined. 1t is bounded and marked in the treaty; and
nowhere in the treaty Of 1886 in that Of 1914 which
reassers the provisions Of the treaty of 1885, the
Islands OF Roatan and the surrounding islands noticed
referred to- On the contrary the honorable Senator
louisiana Mr. SouLE) has shown that late 1880
the British Government renounced all title these islands
disavowing the act Of their officer and restoring the
islands to Honduras, giving them back to their original
owners.
That was as late as 1890 But now sir in 1852 there
comes proclamation from the British authorities eizng
these islands and erecting them into permanent British
colony. The honorable Senator from Michigan-and |
sincerely thank him for the act-ndng this fact pub
hed In the newspapers introduced resolution calling
upon the President for information the seizure
What information comes They sent us a message sta
ting, believe that they had no information as to the
seizure of these islands, happy that the honorable
Senator from Maryland r PEARcE has so far as he is
concerned, made statement this morning which pre-
cludes the necessity Of my referring his speech He
says that he believes the seizure Of the islands be yo
ation Of the treaty. The Department has no nforma-
ton on the subject; and yet sir, early 1851 the
papers were filled with that the British authorities
were about to seize the islands The initiative steps were
taken in 1882 and the islands seized and converted
into British colony
The honorable Senator from New York Mr. SEWARD
argued the other day if Belize, British Honduras
and its dependencies embraced these islands He saws
he found them marked blue the map the sign of Bri-
ush dominion every where. | suppose, upon the
principle If he had found them marked black they would
have belonged to Hayt. 1t is curious way for gentle
man to establish title to territory because he finds
indicated by particular color the map. He said they
were part Of the dependencies IF British Honduras
There is not British statesman who would rise in the
british Parliament and make that statement They
never claimed by Great Britain part Of the dependen
cies Of Honduras. Great Britain disavowed them as
part Of its dependencies They are not only leagues but
degrees from Belize.
If the Senator from New York had been as accurate in
his information he usually is he would have found
that the dependencies islands to which he refers are
little group Of islands running along the coast OF Hon
duras but not these islands, this large group which
is the key to the bay of Honduras and the Sea-
and the strongest position in that part of this continent
Permit me to give the opinion Of writers in relation
TO the value Of these islands. Here is what Spanard
(Alcedo) says:
II may be considered as the key to the bay Of Honduras
and the focus Of the trade Of the neghborng countries
And an English writer says they may considered as