The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-10


She said in effect. that Nicaragua had no right 10
give such charter because she did no. own the ter
r,oy for the whole distance But she did not use her
nval claim 10 obsruct that charter. On the contrary,
was one OF the leading objects OF the convention o the
eih OF April 1850. give The assent OF Great Britain 10
the execution OF that charter which granted TO Amer
lean citizens She gave her consent, IN the form OF
obtaining the assent sf the Mosquito Indians over whom
she claimed protecorate. IL was only form OF CIV.
ing her own consent She not only gave her own con.
sent, and that OF the Mosquito Indians. but she under.
took to her influence IN conjunction with the United
States. 10 obtain tba, of Costa Rca, that whatever
we may think OF her rights the protector OF the Mos
quito Indians she avaied herself of then TO OBJ
| struct but TO aid the work.
Now 10 the proteclorae which Great Britain claims
II is her right and her duty 10 exercise over the Mosqu
TO Indians my friend from Delaware has characterized
II very we'll Using the famous motto OF Jonius, he has
called this Mosquito kingdom noninis unbra, the
| shallow OF name, and il is certainly nothing more
There is an important document which lies on your
table. letter from Mr. Rives 10 Mr. Clayton then Sec
reiary of State giving report OF conference which
he had. by direction OF The Department Of State, with
Lord Pamerslon. his way to Paris, in lsa9: Lord
Palmcrson said TO Mr.. Rves
From very eady period The Mosquito Indians had
been treated by the Bdsh government separate and
an independent State--ley had what was called king
who, blythe by, he ADDED (says Mr. Rive2 in tone Of
pleasantly, was as much king as you or IL
After this account which the British Minister for For
eign Affairs gives of The Mosquito kingdom and ri the
Mosquito king, think ii would be wasting the lime OF
The Senate OF the United States or 10 besloW many
words prove the nanty of the king and Kingdom
Nevertheless it was really an ancient affair There wa-
something OF history in IT. II had pedigree IT ran back
two centuries, and Great Britain maintained. apparently
in good faith that in the OF these two centuries
she has contracted certain obligations and duties towards
the Mosquito Indians, now rsdaced to a mere handful
and they the most wreched conson, which she does
not feel herself al liberty 10 disregard.
This Mosquito Kingdom in lis origin and progress 10
really little more important than il might other wise be
thought played very important part IN the h.toy OF
the world II was prominent incident in the Spanish
colonial system, which Tor a century and half gave a
character 10 the politics of The whole civilized world
having been discovered bV the
who sailed under Spanish auspices Spain possessed her
self OF the largest and the nobles part OF the continent
Brazil everything fell into her hands, II not merely
the largest and aires part but it was the part which
tanned within itself those tropical treasures. and espe.
caly those OF silver and gold which have
all times overmastered the lmag gnatons OF men. Why,
sir, believe such the state OF things in the
leenth century, that the whole exporable product Of
what is now known the United States did exceed
one-haf million OF dollars annually and that need
not tell you, was perhaps no more than half the amount
contained in OF the treasure ships which regu
lary despatched from Vera Cruz to Cadz Spain locked
up all this beneath the bolts and bars of her
colonial monopoly She did with respect to her
colonies than Eng land with respect 10 hers Il was the
ancient colonial system but the productions OF the Span
sh colonies much more important than those OF
England that the whole commercial world sought its
by endeavorng TO force contraband trade with
the Spanish colonies This trade was carried on by the
wholesale and RETAIL by private individuals and by armed
squddrons by adventures in whom the trader the buc
and the pirate were SO much mixed up that was
hard to say which character prevailed Alter Jamaica
conquered, in the time OF Cromwell, that island
became the basis of these operations. Spain of course
sought 10 defend herself, and she not only instituted
line OF guaa cosds all along her shores 10 drive of every
vessel that seen bovenng IN those waters, as 1t
pesence lurked in her sails-for such the detesa
bic character OF thus ancient colonial sysembut she al
undertook to institute rgh, OF search OF any mer
chant vessel which should show Itself within conside.
rabe distance Of the Spanish coast. Oh this led
to nhnie collisions Wars were constantly breaking
out in these islands seized and establish
mens were formed upon the main Roatan and the other
J RAJ istan Wpfs Admiral kpTnOp n
first half OF the last century When the war ceased these
islands would be surrendered, and the establishments
given up, pretended TO be gwen up. But the peace
would prove be hollow and the system OF
forcing cenraltrade would recommence, the sapeirigh
of search would be instituted, war would break out
again, and then The same circle oil operations was re-
peaed
iis but fair to say that in this long struggle ofa CEN
tury and half the whole commercial world took sides
| against Spain. We now are inclined 10 sympathze
with her; think but meanly OF this Mosquito proec-
torate, and regard the occupation OF those islands
and these establishments on the nam by Great Britain
as acts OF injustice and violence But il not thought
so then The whole commercial world, exclusive Of
| Spain and her allies, sympathized with England, and
no part OF The world than the English colonies
now the United States have been amused 10 reading
the old colonial journals TO the edusioDs of the loyal
feeling that constantly poured out from these colo
mes, when the public mind was greatly excited in Eng
land upon subjects of this kind On that memorable
cason, which you recollec from the history OF those
tmes when certain Captain Jenkins was brought upon
the floor OF Parliament and exhibited bis mutilated ears,
and fragment which had been torn from OF them,
and produced such excitement that England, against
the opinion OF the prime minister, was drawn into
with Span in the whole compass OF the British Empire
there was perhaps nowhere such ferven loyal zeal
hibited as in these transatlantic colonies In the war
which took place. the fleets and armies OF England
recruited in these American colonies can tell you sir.
that in the old grave-yards OF New Engand you su
read the eptaphs OF who brought home the diseases
OF the tropics from Porto Belo and Carlhagena There
now living whose i-grandfathers laid down
their bones upon the Spanish main Sir the name OF the
home of Washington upon the banks OF the Potomac,
here in your neighborhood derived its origin from the
enthusiasm felt by Wsshing,ons elder brother for
OF the unfortunate heroes OF those who found upon
these pestiferous coasts enemy against which human
courage and strength were OF no avail:
i "You, gallant VERaos, saw
i The miserable scene you plying saw
To infant weakness shrunk the warriors
! Saw the deep-racking paug, the ghasuy form,
II The lip pale quiyeflng aud the beatnless eye,
4 No more 10 atdor bright; YOU heard the gfoans
OF agoniz lng ships from shore to shore
I Heard nightly plunged beneath the sulen
. The frequent cotse."
Sir, ii owing to nothing but the yearnings OF a
fond maternal heart that beloved Washington him.
self for whom warrant as midshipman in the royal
navy had been obtained, did not few years later, enlist
himself IN those disastrous wars, with an equal prospect
OF sacrificing his life in the support OF the system OF which
| this wrerched Mosquito proectorate was a part.
Such was the origin, such the foundation OF this Mos
quito claim carried on in defiance OF the power OF Spain
a. long as the power OF Spain existed and after the
Spanish colonies threw of the yoke, carried def
ance or with the acqulescence OF The coiem'nous States
Such understand TO have been s origln such It's bs-
tory reduced at the present day to very small dimensions,
sh government having no longer any interest or any mo-
tive in adherng to the proectorae Such she assures us
/ is the
Now, in reference TO this canal. its southeastern 'emi