The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-13


TONS OF inodiaAe vanity have emboldened Senator
Seward to sci up petenson to the character OF &C
eompshed statesman. For extent and accuracy Of in.
formation respecting such subjects engage The thoughts
OF American statesman. az well as for thorough
comprehension OF the philosophy Of politics, this honor
able gentleman claims TO be pre- eminenty dstngu
above the grave senators with whom he is associated.
The solid merit OF his oraions highly appreciated by
himself and his adherenis that they have been collected
and 10 be published in vindcaton OF hs title
the reputation OF mature staesm an, and for the nslruc-
lion and guidance of an admiring posterity.
We have felt some TO know if the forthcom-
ing edition OF Stewards Works" is to embrace his
speech OF Friday last the British claim In Honduras
and whether this last production is 10 be regarded
sample OF the eloquence and craftsmanship of the dstn
gushed author Satisfaction upon this point would poba
bly, the labor OF the perusal OF his book for
TO regard the speech above alluded to equal the
usual efforts OF Senator Seward, shall certainly not
be guilty of the exavagance and folly Of purchasing
and reading work that must abound in egregious
errors and feeble defamation. Senator Seward never
speaks without elaborate preparation. The labor of
the plodder, and some may think the finish of the
rhetoriean, characerizes all his orations. We have
from him an abundant display Of ingenious illustration
and sonorous defamation, bu, never impassioned
ouburs Of honest feeling and true eloquence. His
unprecedented oratory is the result Of laborious effort
and arfu continuance. No apology. therefore, drawn
from the disabilities OF an unexpected debate can ex
his exhibitions of ignorance. And in reference
the speech under review is fact tina, was delivered
with The assistance OF copious notes, and supported
by citations Of authority; yet does it abound in
L.
the subject 80 dosmaically discussed This assertion
may sound strange TO those who recollect the confident
and magsterial air with which the honorable senator
promulgated his opinions and undertook expose
the OF ohers but will make il good by point
ing out instances of his deplorable ignorance. 1t
really refreshing 10 witness the air Of triumph with which
the honorable gentleman presumed the errors Of
his colleagues, and to enlghten the Senate the geo.
graphical and political disputes concerning The States of
Central America /" KNOW" said Senator Seward, that
Spain still claims all Central America, and all Mexico
and all South America and even Texas" This is,
indeed, startling proposition but, fortunately it is
SO palpaby absurd. that not even the dogmatic %
KNOW of the honorable senator give it respectable.
ty 1t is fact OF historic record, if not of universal
toriety. that in 1886 the government Of Spain formally
recognised the independence OF alt the Spanish Amer-
can States or in the language Of the act itself, the
entire independence OF the American States. so as
to tranquility to those regions and render to hu-
mainly it's rights" And. furthermore, SPAN has made
treaties with several if not all, the Central American
States in which she expressly all the rights
she possessed in their favor Thus she has con.
vention with Costa Rca and the 23th of July $780,
she signed treaty with Nicaragua, in which the title
OF the latter recognised covering the entire Mos
quito territory, and extending from TO So much
for the a" KNOW" OF the honorable senator upon this
point.
al KNOW" he again asserts, "hat Great Britain claims
to own British Honduras by absolute right and has thus
held it undispued since l7s3." Now. all the world
knows-Senstor Seward alone excepted-that England
does not pretend to hold British Honduras by absolute
right for in 1855 she conceded express terms and by
solemn treaty, the absolute sovereignty of Spain over
this terrtoy hieh admission and treaty revived in
1914, and are still in fut force and eject. And all
the world, the aforesaid senator, knows that as
late as 1917 and 1915 England by her public acts,
distinctly affirmed that the territory in question is
in her possession for certain purposes" only, and
that it is mot within the dominion of his Britannia
Majesty" Thus another KNOW" turns out TO be an
cgregious error.
Equa ignorance displayed by the erudIte senator IN
his geographical distinctions. Honduras neither as
province State included Belize it is loosely
called, British Honduras" On the contrary, this terri
tory pertaned to Guatemala, and now belongs 10 her
as heir TO the rights Of Spain. The British
Honduras is not used by Great Britain, whose govern
ment always alludes to Belize the settlement in the
bay Of Honduras
We might expose the gnoranc OF the honorable
in coaending. in behalf OF Great Britain that the
islands in the bay of Honduras the colonization of
which gave occasion the debate now progressing in
the Senate, the dependencies OF British Honduras
but upon this point the letter of Mr. Squer published in
another column, leaves nothing TO be said and besides,
il tedious task to undertake to out and ex
pose the nnumerabe blunders Of the honorable senator
We have SAID enough to indicate the value of the
dogmatc f" ] KNOW"
Whatever criticism, we may make upon Senator Sc
wards speech, must confess that its peroraon per-
ecy appropriate and consistent for rs the body OF the
speech elaborate Justification OF British aggres
sion, so its conclusion was a eulogy or (skgy, as
General Cass wittily sugxesed) on the administration,
which Of all others has done most to sacrifice Amer
dignity and American rights to the arrogant preien
sons OF British power But little regard for public