Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-26


refers to the capitalists.
Mr. DOUGLAS. will read what goes before
"see that is not assgnabe to Others that exclusive
privileges grated thai will not agree TO the
treaty stipulaons with Nicaragua that the tolls to be
demanded by the unreasonable oppressye
that be reserved to the propeors OF the canal or
their TO extort at time hereafter or unJusty 70
obrue mbaass the right of passage This will require
all your vigilance skill If they do agree grant us
passage reasonable and terms refuse our protection
and countenance procure the contract from
charter grant Of the right Of way shall have been incau
ouy inconsderatey made before your arrival IN thst
country seek have properly modified to answer the ENDS
we have in view"
MrCLAYroS The honorable Senator will observe that
that does refer treaty The grant Of the right OF
way was different thing. 1t contract between
the pca government and the capitalists not treaty
at all
Mr. DOUGLAS The Senator's explanation is doubtless
satisfactory himself He may imagine that 1t wall
suit his present purposes place upon his Instructions
the construction for which he contends; but II IS
wholly unwarranted by the language he employed HIS
institutions speak of securing the right OF way 10 Us
To whom did he allude in the word us DID he reier
to the capitalists propretors and spectators who should
become the of the charter Was ne one o. the
company and therefore authorized to use the word
when speaking of the rights and privileges 70 pc
of foreign nation through his agency Secretary OF
State had supposed that Mr. Squier was sent TO re-
present the United States and to protect our rights ana
interests nation have always done the Senator
from Delaware the justice believe that when he gave
those instructions Mr. Squier he acting on behalf
of his country the right of way for canal TO
the United States and not to few capitalists and spe-
culators under the title of Gus For the honor OF our
country will still do him that justice, Notwithstanding
his disclaimer His instructions also speak Of the right
of way nations and cautions Mr.. Squier TO see
that no eaeusoe privileges are granted 70 any NATION &c
It is plain therefore, that the instructions related tc
the Sa xay 4T sanal e h
elusive privilege granted to any other nation and
to claim any peculiar advantages for Then fol-
blows the concluding paragraph, which has been read
81" charter grant Of the right of way shall have been
ncauouy nconsiderats made before your arrival in the
country seek 70 hare opey modified to asper the ends
haze az ciep."
Modified how IT, before the arrival of Mr. Squier in
the country Mr. Hise shall have acquired charter or
grant which shall peculiar privileges exclusive
rights for this country, he seek to have it mod-
fed to open the rights and privileges all other
nations equal terms This is what understand to be
the meaning of those Instructions and it is clear that Mr.
Squier understood them in the way for when Mr.
Squier arrived in Nicaragua, and discovered by state
ment in newspaper of the Isthmus, that Mr.. Hse
about making treaty for canal, without knowing what
its terms were without waiting ascertain its provisions
he sent at notice to the Government of Nicaragua
that Mr.. Hse not authorized treat that he did
not understand the policy and views of the Admins
traton that he had been recalled and that any treaty
he might make must be considered and treated
official act.
He communicated this protest the Secretary Of State
the day. and then proceeded his point of des-
naten where he made treaty for the right of way for
canal to all nations the partnership plan in pursu
ance of his instructions These two treates-the Hse
treaty and the Squier reatywere in the Department of
State at the tme the having arrived about the
middle OF September and the other about the first of 0c
tober 1t then became the duty of the Senator from Della
ware Secretary of State decide between them in
other words determine whether he would accept an
exclusive privilege to his country enter into part
nership with the monarches of Europe He did deter
mine that question: and his decision in favor Of the
partnership and against his country having the
elusive control of the canal.
Then, sir, think was authorized to say what did
al trea nv he
Government of Nicaragua procured by the agent of
General Tayors administration in that country and that
the agent acted under the authority of this Government
He certainly acted in obedience TO what he understood
be his instruction, and that is the instruction that if
such charter had been incautously granted seek
have 1t modified to conform to the ends had in view
stated in the instruction.
Mr.. CLAYTON Will the Senator allow to interrupt
him 1t is not very material point, still it is better
have right than wrong If the Senator will onlyread the
last paragraph he will that the charter grant the
right of way which Squier was was not
incautously made very different thing indeed from
the treaty, and he viii that that is the thing which
directed the minister look to- stated and endea-
vored to be understood yesterday, and anxious
to be understood by the gentleman this point-what
instructed the minister to look to was that the
of these capitalists should not be such would enable
them to extort from persons using the canal The last
sentence of the instruction applies if he will look it,
exclusively to the Of the contract and that Of
the treaty.
One remark more. How is it possible for the gentle
to reconcile the fact that the State Department could
know imagine that Mr.. Hise had made treaty the
I'd Of May 1850, when those instructions were given,
when in point Of fact Mr. Hise not heard from
til June afterwards? How could imagine any such
thing? And again, how could possibly suppose that
Mr. Hise had made treaty going to make trea
y when the records Of the State Department showed
the instructions given TO him by Mr. Buchanan in which
he tells Mr. Hise to make treaty whatever with Mica
raguaf If the gentleman reconcile these things
should be happy to hear him.
Mr. DoUGLAs. / viii have less difficulty in reconcilng
these things with my views Of his instructions than he
will with his construction of them. have already
that the instructions related to the right Of way nations
and not to Individuals that they in favor Of equal
rights to oil nations, and opposed to any peculiar priv
eges to country. Is it reasonable sup
pose that the instructions what they said is
concege that minister directed procure the
modification Of contracts previously entered into with in
divduas and for the observance Of which Nicaragua
was supposed to have pledged her faith nation Was
minister sent there TO represent individuals in their
schemes Of procuring charters and contracts on private
account to interfere with and prevent the faithful OBJ
previously have made with citizens OF aers?
While this supposon might exricate the Senator from
his present difficulty this point il would not tend TO
elevate the character of diplomacy during his admin
stration Of the State Department think LIDO the Sena
tor justice by the construction have put upon his
conduct than he does by his own explanation.
But sir, wish to know whether understand the Sc
nator now Does he wish be understood as say
ing that he preferred exclusive privilege to his own
country to q partnership with England!
Mr.. CLAYTON. No, sir
Mr.. DOUGLAS All Then, he did not prefer the
exclusive privilege to partnership with the European
Powers does he wish the Senate to understand that he
did convey his true idea in his instruction
If he preferred the partnership the exclusive privilege
his duty TO make known wish in his IN.