New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-17
A PITIPUL DODGE.

PITIFUL DODGE.
A call Of the Senate for information lately
brought to light from the Executive archivesa
brief correspondence in 1850 between Sir II.
L. Bulwer, British Embassador, and Hon. John
N. Clayton, then Secretary Of State, wherein
it was agreed that the Nicaragua Treaty, just
before negotiated between them, did not effect
either ,ody h, rights Of the British to the BIii-e
territory called by them British Honduras. Here
upon Mr. Clayton and the Wings n power
we're vehemently assailed BY certain Dem
ocratic leaders in the Senate as having be-
trayed American interests, truckled 10 Great
Britain, and privately signed away all that the
Nicaragua Treaty intended 10 secure and 81
that secured their Assem-. to the Treaty.
Thus rudely sssailed, Mr.. Clayton submitted
to the public brief correspondence he had, in
July, 1850, on this very subject with Hon.
VIM. r King, then Chairman Of the Senate's
Committee Of Foreign Affairs, wherein Mr..
King fully and unequivocally affirmed that the
Nicaragua Treaty ras distinctly understood BY
the Senate not TO affect IN any manner the British
title or claim whatever il may be- to chat
they call British Honduras
The vindication did not stop here Gov
Seward followed up Mr. Clayton's staggering
blow by showing that Gen. Taylor had, Just
before his death, sent Message to the Senate,
officially apprising them that the Nicaragua
rrxo... J;J No. aN.nt NOR cont ON nlsfa the
British claims to the Balize, and that TAs Na-
tionai ErtelIigcncer, when publishing the Treaty,
gave semi-Official exposition of it, asserting
the same thing There was more testimony TO
the same point-but what need oft ,
Since then. Messrs Cass, Soule, &c. have
been snxiously seeking some escape from the
dilemma in which they had recklcssly involved
themselves, by perseyering attempts to involve
the question in the smoke Of false issues.
That the Bay Islands, of Honduras, which
J Great Britain has recently assumed 70 make
| Colony Of are no part Of the Balize territory
that the rights Of Great Britain at the Ba-
lie are illusory or limited or only possessory
and tempOrary-that her territorial preten-
sions in that quarter have been unwarraatably
extended-that she has not in other respects
complied with her stipulations in the Nicaragua
Treaty-that she ought ere this to have with
drawn from the Mosquito territory, &c, &c.
have all been asserted and talked about,
with the obvious intent Of breaking the force
of Mr. Kings letter and the testimony as to
the cotemporaneOus exposition Of the Mica
ragua Treaty embodied in Gov. Stewards
| Speech.
Gentlemen it won't do You have made
an unwarrantable onslaught on Mr. Clayton
and the Administration of which he formed
! part, and have been sgnally discounted. You
! have not a LEG left 10 stand on And you will
not be able to draw the Wings into the posi-
ton Of apologists for any actual Infringement
Of the Nicaragua Treaty which Great Britain
has been guilty of. All the complaints you
now make are founded on the provisions Of
that very Nicaragua Treaty you now proclaim
SO worthless, unless il includes the Balize. II
Great Britain has violated the Treaty, hold
her to a strict responsibility You have
already both branches and will soon have
/ the Executive also. Make her justify or
retraet her alleged seizure of the Bay
Islands her failure TO abandon her Mosquito
proteee, &c, &c, but do not seek to
cover your retreat from the Clayton foray
by any sham fight with her. Aud do not
further rcIterate the falsehOod that Mr.. Clay
ton has conceded the British supremacy at the
Balize. Whatever rights Great Britain may
have had before the Nicaragua Treaty she
still possesses and nothing more Ii she had
none then, she has none now /; ii she had only
temporary right to cut logwOOd before, she
has no more since Settle one question AZ a
time, and oil will be clear bur don't go dodg-
ing under every log and root, ike fish with