Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-04-07

Spanish colonies were so much more impor-
tant than those of the English colonies that
the whole commercial world sought its re-
venge for this exclusion 10y endeavorng to
force a contraband trade with the colonies
of Spain. This smuggling trade was carr-
ed on by wholesale aud retail, by private
merchants and by armed squadrons by adj
yenturers in which the trader, the bucca-
neer and the pirate were so mixed up that
it was hard to say which character prevail
ed. After Jamaica was conquered, in the
time OF Cromwell, that island became the
basis of their operations Spain of course
sought to defend herself She not only in
s,ltuted line of guarda costas all along her
shores, driving off every vessel that lowered
IN her waters, as If pestence lurked 10
her sails, (such was the detestable character
OF this ancient colonial system) but also uu-
deriook to institute rigid right Of search
Of all merchant vessels that came within a
considerable distance of the Spanish coast
In this stale ufthings, as matter of course,
wars were constantly occurring, during
which islands conveniently situated were
seized aud establishments formed upon
them, aud also upon the main. When peace
was proclaimed, these islands would be sur
rendered. aud these establishments on the
main would be given up or drawn within
narrower bounds. But the peace would
turn out to be hollow truce, and the same
smuggling trade was in force again the
same right OF search was claimed and exer
cised war broke out again, and then the
uta Of,
! Now it is but fair to say that III this long
struggle Of "a century and half the whole COM
merclal world took side against Spain. We
now are inclined, perhaps. TO sympathize with
her. We think meanly of these Mosquito pro-
tectorates, and we regard tie occupation ofthese
islands an act Of violence but It was not
thought so then. The whole commercial world
exclusive Of Spain. gave all their sympathies to
England, and DO part Of 1t more than the Eng
lsh Colonies, now the United States. ! have
been amused in reading the old Colonial Jour
mails, TO see the illusions of loyal zeal that were
constantly poured out in these Colonies, when
the public mind was greatly excited ina England
on these subjects On that memorable occasion,
which you viii recollect from the history of the
times, when a certain Capt. jenkins was brought
upon the floor Of Parliament and exhibited has
muulated ears, and the fragments that had been
torn from one o. them, such an excitement was
produced that the English Government, against
the opinion and wish OF the Prime Minister was
driven into a war with SPAN. Throughout
the British empire there nowhere such loyal
zeal exhibited this occas on, as IN these trans
atlantic colonies. The war took place and the
armies and navies OF England we're recruited in
these American Colonies. In the old grave
yards of New England you can still read the ep-
itaphs Of men who brought home the diseases Of
the tropics from Portobelio and Carthagena.
There are men now living, whose great-grand-
fathers laid down their bones upon the Spanish
main. Sir, the. name of the birth place Of Wash
lnsior on the banks of the Potomac, here inthe
neighborhood, had It's origin in the enthusiasm
when was felt by Washington's elder brother
for one of the unfortunate heroes Of this war,
who found upon those pestiterous coasts an ar
my against which human courage and strength
were of no avail.
You. gsant Vernon, saw
The miserable sceuoi Nou plying .aw
Iointani weakness SUNK the warriors arm
saw The deep acSing Plng, The CHASTITY foun,
The up pale, qulrcring, and The bsamess eye
~ more with afdof Orishti hou hesrt the giolns
OF ng"niz'ng ships from shore 90 shore
Heard nightly plunged beneath the su,len wave
Tho frequent cofse 80
II was owing TO nothing else than the vearn-
ings Of a fond mothers heart, that orr beloved
WAsHINGroN. for whom warrant ms a midship-
man in the Royal Navy had been obtaned, did
not, some years later, enlist himself in these
wars, with an equal prospect Of sacrificing his
life IN the support Of that system of which this
wretched Mosquito pEotectOrate Is a part.
Such was the origin and history of this protec-
torate; such Is its foundation; carried on IN de-
fiance Of the power of Spain, as long as the pow
or of Spain existed and carried on after the
Spanish colonies threw off the yoke, in defiance
of, or with the acqulescence at times, Of the
contemnous States. Such understand to be
It's origin, such its history, narrowed down at the
present day to very small dimensions the state
of affairs having wholly changed, and England
having no longer any interest or any motive, as
she assures us to be the case, for keeping it up.
Now In reference to this Canal, the eastern
terminus at the port of San Juan fell within the
limits of the territory which was claimed to be-
that is all that | say-under this protectorate
This claim was denied by Nicaragua She had
possessed herself of the port, and after long
controversy with England, British force wa,
sent in the month of January, lo4S, | think, and
the Ncaaguans were elected The first thing
that was done by the British, | must say was
: done lIn my oplnlonl IN extremely bad taste
that was, changing the ancient euphonious Span
{ ISL name of San Juan del Norte, or San Juan dc
Nicaragua. Il do not care which, into the mod
ern and, to my ear, very insipid appcllatlon o
hlflloNuf anu liopt llhl inc HlSL NlluH INA
! will be done by the independent authorities o
I San Juan, if they are independent, will be Il
; change it back again. Let us have this oil,
wellsounding Spanish name.
, As have already said, the compact of tn,
18Th Of April, 1850, removed obstacles whlcl
grow out Of these interfering claims. But othe
difficulties remained. Nicaragua refused in an,
way TO recognize the independent existence o
I the Mosquito Indians and she also refused to re
I nounce her territorial rights to San Juan In tn,
meantime, the preliminary surveys had been in
s,tuted and it was found that the canal woul,
not pass all the way ON the left bank of the river
! In some cases it would probably go into the be,
of the river, and in other places On the right banl
z Of il, and Costa Rica claimed that her rghtiu
boundary came up to the right bank OF thc river
: How, then, could you get along with he charter
a that was given on the principle Of the eXclusiy,
e sovereignty of Nicaragua; 1t was impossibl,
that foreign capitalists, who do not enter int,
matters with the critical skill OF dipl0matsts, bu
looking only at the plain matter Of fact aud car
ing nothing for abstract right, should invest the
money in a country like Central America, wher'
= domestic feuds and border wars are the order o
e the day, in building an enormously expensive
+ canal, costing, perhaps, some hundred million
4 collars over a disputed territory, where the sol
was likely 10 be wrested from them by a hostile
claim of next year. Ii was necessary that some