Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-12
THE HONDURAS QUESTION.

II will no doubt, be recoliected by our readers,
that in December last resolution was adopted by
the Senate, calling upon the PRESIDENT Of the
United States for information in relation to the es-
Enlistment of new British Colony in North
America; to which resolution an answer was re-
turned by the PRESIDENT on the Sd Of January
communicating the Letter of Mr. CLAYTON to Mr.
BULwER of July 4th, 1850, together with de-
claration Of Mr.. BULwER to the effect that the
British Government did not understand the Treaty
which was then about to be ratified to include the
British settlement at Honduras or its dependencies
and also another note from Mr.. CLAYTON stating
that British Honduras was not embraced in the
Treaty, and that the rights of no Central Anne
rican State compromised by it, or by any part
of the negotiation.
Subsequently to the receipt Of this information,
another resolution was adopted by the Senate, d.
recting its Committee on Foreign Relations to re-
port what measures should be taken by the Senate
in regard to the aforementioned declaration and
letter; which, having been duly considered by the
committee, produced an elaborate report on the
subject that was laid before the Senate yesterday
by Mr.. MASON
The conclusion at which the committee has ar
rived, as shown by the resolution with which the
report concludes, fully exonerates Mr. CLAYTON
from the charge preferred against him by some of
the newspapers Of having assented to declaration
invalidating the Treaty. The resolution is as
follows:
Resoped las the opinion Of the commttee,) That the
declaration the part of the British Government and the
reply thereto by the Secretary Of State preliminary to
the exchange Of notifications of the treaty concluded at
Washington, between the Governments of Great Britain
and the United States the 10Th April, 1850, import
nothing more than admission on the part OF the
two Governments their functonaries at the time OF
such exchange that nothing contained in the treaty was
to be considered affecting the title or existing rights OF
Great Britain to the English settlements in Honduras Bay
and consequently, in the opinion Of the committee that
necessary the part the Senate to be
taken because of such declaration and reply.
The report of the committee, however; argues
against the right of Great Britain under the Treaty.
to extend the limits of her settlements In Hon
duras. 1t says that what is now the extent
of claim pretension the part of Great Britain,
either in regard to the territory dominion the Gulf
of Honduras the committee have been unable satsfac
toriy to ascertain In the unsettled condition Of the
country pending hosies between Spain and ths colo
uie il in worry manifest that whethsr with without the
sanction OF the British Governmen the settlers there
pushed their occupancy far beyond the southern limits
assigned them by treaty, and now appears that
right is asserted to maintain such occupancy as it stood
in 1921 when the colonies dsmembered from Spain
These questions properly belonging to the respective
Powers, who claim the hand or contest on the
other-hat is to say Great Britain and Guatemala But
the question of dominion is of different character, and
1t is one in the disposition of which this Government
can never be Indifferent Whether it shall ultimately be
determined that the English settlements in the Honduras
are in Mexico or Guatemala the question remains the
same as regards the United States and as connected with
this INQUIRY the committee have considered 1t incumbent
to opinion to the character OF the tenure by
which these settlements enjoyed by British subjects
The report proceeds to say anomalous character
of these English settlements well illustrated by the legis
lation of Great Britain concerning them, and audes to
certain statutes wherein clearly admitted that they
are not within the dominion of Great Britain it having
been necessary provide by special legislation for the
punishment of crimes committed there by British sub
ects The report quotes the law Of third George in 1917
and says:
But this act could not DO carried into effect Mt the
Belize because it found that there was no island
there in the dominion of his Majesty, nor plantation
colony dominion, fort, factory to which the Kings
commission could be directed and Of course was found
necessary by amendatoy act passed in 1872 to SUBJ
stitute special tribunal created thereby at Belize for
the trial of offences the being rendered necessary
rs rected in the act because Of the great delay and
difficulty Of removing offenders in Honduras for trial in
England or to any Of his Maesys islands, plantations
colonies forts factories such crimes do oftentmes
escape punishment These statutes clearly showing that
as late as the year 1919 the Parliament OF England did
claim recognise the English settlement at beze
as being within the dominion of Great Britain and
secondly, that England had no established authority
there of the grade Of plantation FORT or factory
The report then goes on to give the opinion Of the
committee, as follows:
"On the WHOLE the committee therefore report rs their
opinion to the Senate That the Islands of Roatan Bo
nacca, Ula, Barbant Helena, and Morat, in and near
the Bay Of Honduras constitute part Of the territory OF
Central America and consequence that any occupa-
&on colonization Of these islands by Great Britain
would be violation Of the treaty Of the 18th OF April
1850.
The committee, from the information before them,
entertain 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 equally
constitute part of Central America Should such be
the fact whilst the committee not prepared to say
that the engagements Of the treaty Of 1850 would require
that those settlements shall be abandoned and dscon-
tinued the part Of Great Britain, yet this Govern
en would have Of complaint against any ex-
tension of the limits of these settlements beyond those
prescribed by Span further allowed by the repub-
los where they may be found and that in any manner
to enlarge change the character Of these settlements
by any mode Of jurisdiction, would be in violation Of
said treaty"
In the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, an impor-
tant bill, of which the details given under the
Congressional head, was introduced from the Com
mittee on Commerce, responsive to the late CON-
munication of the PRESIDENT, proposing system
OF reciprocal trade between the United States and