Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-02-23

Her directions were obeyed, and no
one OF them escaped the punishment du,
his crimes.
Tha Report of the Committee on tn,
Honduras Question.
It was stated in our Congressional Re.
port, that MIR. Mason, Chairman of the
Committee on foreign relations, in the U.
s. Senate, had made a report on the Cen
trail American question, accompanied by
IN important resolution, which we pub
hsh. The report argeus against the right
OF Great Britain, under the treaty, to ex-
tend the limits of her settlements in Hon.
duras. It says that what is now the ex-
tent Of the claim or pretension on the
part of Great Britain, either in regard to
the territory or dominion on the Gulf OF
Honduras, the committee have been una
bic, satisfactorily to ascertain. In the un.
settled condition of the country, pending
between Spain and the colonies, it is We.
ry manifest that with, or without the
auction of the British government, the
settlers there have been pushing their
occupancy far beyond the southern
limits assigned to them by treaty. and
1t now appears that right is asserted to
maintain sush Occupancy, as it stood, in
1891, when the colonies were dismem-
bered from Spain. These are questions
properly belonging to the respective Pow
ers, who claim on one hand and contest
on the other-that is TO say, Great Bri-
tain and Guatemala. But the question of
dominion is offs different character, and
it IS one in which the disposition Of which
this government can never'sbe Indifferent.
Whether it shall ultimately be determined
that the English settlements in Honduras
are in Mexico or Guatimala, the question
remains the same as regards the United
States; and is connected with this inqui-
ry, the committee have considered it in
cumbent to express an opinion as to the
character of the tenure by which these
settlements are enjoyed by British sub
jects.
The report proceeds to say that the ano-
malous character of these English settle
ments is we'll illustrated by the Legislation
of Great Britain concerning them, and
alludes to certain statutes wherein it is
clearly admitted that they are not within
the dominion of Great Britain, it having
been necessary to provide by special le-
gislation for the punishment of crime
committed there by British subjects. The
report quotes the law of third George in
1877. and says:
:" But this act could not be carried into
effect at the Beliz, because it was found
that there was no island there in the do
miElon of his Majesty, nor plantation, CO.
lony, dominion, fort or factory to which
The Kings commission could be directed,
and ofcGurse it was found necessary, by
An amendatory act. passed in 1919, to
substitute = special tribunal created there
by at Belize, for the trial of offences, the
same being rendered necessary, rs reel
ted In the act, because of the great de-
lay and difficulty of removing offenders
in Honduras for trial to England. or to
any of his Maiesty's islands, PdHnOa''n,,,
do Oftentimes escape punishment These
statutes clearly showing that as late as
the year 1919 the Parliament of England
die not claim or recognize the British set
Element at Belize as being within the do
Ininion of Great Britain; and, secondly,
that England had no established authority
there. even 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 committe there
fore report as their opinion to the Seuate {:
That the islands of Rotan, Bonacca, Util-
Ia. Barbant. Helena. and Morat. in and
near the Bay of Honduras, constitute
part of the territory of the republic of
Honduras. and therefore form part of
Central America and, in consequence,
that any occupation or colonization of
these islands by Great Britain would be
a Violate of the treaty of the 10Th of
January, 1850.
The committee, from the information
before them. entertain decided opinion
that the British settlements at Belize, as
defined by the treaties with Spain, lie
within the territory of the republic of Qua
temals. and so equally constitute a part
of Central America. Should such be the
fact. whilst the committee are not pre-
paEed to say that the engagements of the
treaty of 1880. would require that those
settlements shall be abandoned and dis
continued on the part of Great Britain.
get this government would have Just cause
Of complaint against any extension of the
limits of these settlements beyond those
prescribed by Spain. or as further allow
? ed by the republics where they may be
found and that in any manner to en-
large or change the character of these set
Elements by any mode of jurisdiction,
would be in violation of said treaty"
Democracy of New Hampshire aud
Gen. CuSs.
The Democracy of Gen Pierce's Dis.
trict recently held a convention at which
the following resolutions were adopted