Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-02


friendly Powers could undertake it. Accordingly they
felt it their duty to undertake it, and in the month,
think II Of july 1851 conference was held here
IN Washington, between the Secretary OF State and the
British Minister de and the ENJOYS Of Costa Rea
and Nicaragua the other but without any favorable
result About that time Nicaragua had entered into par
tal confederacy with Honduras and San Salvador, to
strengthen herself against Costa Rica She had merged
her separate political sovereignty in this federation She
had longer the power if she had the desire, to treat
| separately upon this sshject.
An interval of eight ten months accordingly followed
At length it thought by the Governments that
further delay out Of the question that it already
amounting to an indefinite postponemeat OF all energetic
proceedings towards the construction OF the canal and 1t
absolutely necessary that something decisive should
be done Accordingly in the month of April 1852, the
Secretary OF State and the British Minister acting under
the instructions of their Governments respectively,
together and held conferences this subject and after
mature delberaton they agreed to the propositions
monty called the propositions Of the S0th Of April 1852
which were to be offered TO the two Governments They
were only advisory They could be nothing else They
recommendations Of two friendly Powers having no
interest at variance with that of either party regarding
them both with the friendly eye and anxiousy seek
ing the best method by which all these difficulties could
be reconciled and efectua impulse given to the
cuon Of the great work They only propositions
They were not convention They the basis Of
convention that to be submitted to the two Govern
ments OF Nicaragua and Costa Rica After having been
arranged with great deberaton here they sent by
separate commissioners to the capitals of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica They accepted by Costa Rica; they
ment consider what these propositions were.
shall not take up the time of the Senate by going in
to very great detail 1t would be hard to be understood
without map of the country and without time than
would be convenient for the Senate to bestow the
subjects but the main objects few and simple The
first this of the very large tract of country lying
east OF Nicaragua covered by the claim of the Mosquito
Indians, to retain moderate reservation for the tempo
rary of the Mosquito Indians. They all to be
collected here they to be Withdrawn from every
other point which they have occupied In the centre
of the coast of this territory lay the ancient settlement of
Buefeds, the foundation of which back into the
seventeenth century, if am not mistaken. They
all to be brought together this reservation and all the
rest of this large territory and south of the
walton to be coded in full sovereignty to Nicaragua
This cesson included the much desired port of San Juan
The great bone Of contention, if may call it. to
be given up to Nicaragua by these propositions and in
consideration OF this large cesson of territory aud Of get
ting rid of the dsagreeabe controversy, it proposed
proposed only all this propostonthat Nicaragua
as pecuniary indemnity to the Mosquito nation should
pay to them the nett proceeds of od udiorem duty of
ten per upon articles imported into San Juan for
three years How much that would amount to cannot
undertake to say but lido not suppose would in
the whole to more than fifty or sixty thousand dollars
That was the entire pecuniary consideration which was to
be paid for the surrender Of the sovereignty of San JUAN
and for the cesson Of the Of the country lying and
southwest Of the reservation which have alluded
This not ALL The reservation itself not intend
ed to be perpetual On the contrary, it expressly
provided in separate article that the terms OF the
Element should not preclude Nicaragua from making any
private agreement she might please with the Mosquito In
dans for what should call the extngushmen of their
title She to be liberty any time make pri
vote arrangement with the Mosquito Indians for the final
extnguishmen of the e and consequently the absorp-
ton of the reservation into the Nicaraguan Statethe In
dams to be incorporated with the citizens of that State
of course; which would be hardship, because by far
the largest part of the population Of Nicaraguais compos
ed of the native race and their descendants.
These the propositions far the Hos
quito protectorae and San JUAN and all that part Of the
controversy. Nicaragua being highly favored that
side 1T was thought than reasonable that Costa
ca the cher party should be somewhat favored on her
side not however, by giving her all that was asked be-
she claimed 80 up the San Juan river through
its whole extent from the lake to the That
not admitted in the proposition. She also claimed that
she had equal right with Nicaragua in the port Of San
JUAN That could not BE admitted because the exclusive
sovereignty proposed to be given TO Nicaragua; but
it proposed that Costa ca should 60 the Colorado
branch that strikes off from the San Juan to the right
and giving the large delta between the Colorado and the
San Juan to Nicaragua, that Costa RIGA should follow up
the right bank Of tho Colorado then the light bank Of the
San Juan the lake. and then that the southern shore
of the lake should be the boundary with the privilege of
navigating the lake, and then the river La Flor to the
Pacific admit that this a boundary favorable to
Costa Rica though did not as have said, give her all
that she thought she entitled to and Nicaragua had
been greatly favored the other side But how in a
boundary contest between two Powers Of about equal
strength you to settlement any other
basis than that Of compromise and neutral concession
The United States and England have done it and
again. We claimed boundary the northeast
ming up far beyond the river ST John-for have
San Juan too-we claimed that went far beyond that
river the northeastern boundary of Maine England
said that the boundary line began at Mars Ill., far south
Of the ST. john The controversy lasted fifty years and
finally we obliged to settle it BY each party giving
up something of its extreme pretension.
SO 1t the coast of the Pacific. There claim
ed up to $40 40 The British said the other hand
that the line ought to follow the Columbia river down
the Pacific. The two countries brought almost to
the point of collision this question; but at last it
thought all sides that the only practicable and honor
able mode Of settling the question to adopt middle
term and take the line Of the fortynnth degree of lat-
tudewhich the boundary east Of the Rocky noun
tainsas the line Of demarkaton the If great
Powers like England and the United States the leading
Powers Of the commercial and maritime world find it
cessay to settle their border controversies by these
tual sacrifices Nicaragua Costa RIGA expect to
adjust theirs any better principle? However, as
said the Of the settlement proposed accepted
by Costa Rica, but Nicaragua did not think it expedient
for her to adopt them.
While these matters passing very singular event
occurred in San JUAN OF which believe best give
account to the Senate by reading extract from
despatch of consular agent Mr. Boone, who arrived
ut San Juan the Sd Of June last lie writes the fol-
lowing, under date Of the 9TH Of June, 1852:
II find the Government of the place the hands of
poaton organization, formed principally Of American ct
zens 1t consists Of mayor and city council They have
constitution which recognises the trial by jury and is alto
geher formed far goes upon liberal principles They
cd annually by the people, There is likewise captain Of
the port and health officer. All articles Of
admitted free Of duty"
In March last Mr. Green the British consul and agent
the Mosquito King president Of the then council at Grey
town. upon the request being made by Of the principal
inhabitants issued proclamation order for convention
Of the people Of the "a and frame constu-
ton The convention was held and the present constitution