The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-25
Clayton Diplomacy.

In his amusing dsquistlon on the ART OF POLITICAL
LYING, Dr. Arbuthno, formally classified lies political
under three several heads, one of which includes the
practice OF claiming for public men the glory of deeds
which they never performed. If the witty essayst were
alive at the present day, and could endure the nconve
nence OF an occasional perusal of the National Inegsn-
he would select from its columns the following para
graph apt illustration OF this distinct species of po
iitieat lying:
president Taylor made proclamation of any doc
trine such as Mr. Polk made about the European
reference the American continent Yet during his
brief administration his Secretary State under his d.
recton negotiated Great Britain of the whole of the
Central American confederate Verify the practice is
better than preaching"
When man thinks h. has done something worthy Of
applause, and remains for time under the pleasing de-
fusion, it is difficult TO convince him that il is all
Dream and that others regard him mpostor while
he fancies himself hero. The honorable Mr. Clayton
is in precisely this condition. He chershes the ageea
bic conviction that he is very great dplomatst, and
that by the treaty OF 1850 he fooled Great Britain 10
the top of her bent. We do no, mean to call him i'm
posor but dupe he certainly u.s. il he be sincere in his
professions. On many occasions, and in the most formal
and ostentaous manner, the exmembsr OF the Galphin
cabinet has challenged the applause Of the country
for his conduc, in negotiating the Clayton-Bulwer uea-
~. The above paragraph from the .Naionat Instii-
gener indicates the imaginary virtue of this treaty The
seli-ove and vanity OF The author may induce Mr. Clay
ton believe that his misshapen and aborive bantng
is model OF life and beauty but the IntsRig.roer
knew perfectly well that the treaty OF 1850 was
most lame and impotent conclusion 10 inpo-
sing negotiation The Inteitsneer does not claim
that the treaty accomplished its chief purpose, which
was TO promote the 'consructon OF an nteroceanic
canal across the ishmus OF Nicaragua The company
organized under the protection Of this treaty have aban
doned their original plan and te entire scheme is likely
to miscary Couceding the failure of the treaty in lis
main INTENT the Inkgenetr undertakes il and
its author from contempt by arbutng to incidental
effect OF the very first Importance Clayton
negotiated Great Britain on, of the whole of the Central
American confederation Before canvassng the truth
Of this allegation, II is proper 10 consider the terms in
which it is made Secretary Clayton negotiated Great
Britain on, OF the whole Of the Central Ameriean con-
federa,ien" Why did the Inefligemcsr vary its state
from the language OF the treaty, and substitute "Cen
trail American CONFEDERATION for "any part Of Central
America" which Great Britain was forbidden to occupy
colonizel II the boosted treaty accomplished what
purpored to accomplish, why say that il expelled
Great Britain from Central America The language Of
the IteiLgsnesr is simply absurd for the time OF the
conclusion of the treaty, there Central American
confederation out OF which Great Britain could be "ne
goiaed" This significant change Of terms is equivalent
to confession the part of the IaieHgenesr that the
effect OF the treaty is not commensurate with its Ian
guage and that, in defiance of it's express provisions
Grea, Britain continues TO occupy, fortfy, and coonize
Central American territory. The Trtetigencr shrunk
from the task OF proving that in respect 10 British cooni.
zaon, the sipuations OF the treaty had been fulfilled
and instead OF establishing the proposition in dispute,
narrows limits and changes the proposition 10 suit lis
own arguments and evidence The Ingenuity of the In.
tHigener is more obvious than i,s candor
short time since we put in uxtaposition with certain
provisions OF the Cayton-Bulwe treaty passages from
famous despatch Of the present Secretary of State which
condemned in the strongest and most emphatic language
the obligations TO which Mr. Clayton had subjected this
government As II to make his dsapprova Of his prede
cessots diplomacy thorough and signal possible,
MIR Everett, in message TO the Congress OF the United
States records the fact that the Clayton Buwer treaty is
a miserable faure II is from this nessage-published
in the Uson of the 23dhai we learn that the cons,ruc
ton Of the neroceanic canal contemplated by the treaty