The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-26
Hon. solon Bor,and and the Mission 70 Cent raj
America

Hon. soIon Boriand and the Mission 70 Cent .ral
America.
The official announcement of the Apo .ntment
Of Senator Borland, of Arkansas, as rlinister to
Central America, (after his decline .tion Of New
Mexico,) win give rise to var .ety Of opinions
and conjectures among the politicians Of all
parties in this country, and at this juncture Of
prevailing peace and ,.nonotonous neutrality
among civilized natic,ns, will be very apt to
startse John Bull fr ON his estimates of Austria
liza to the possible contingencies Of an early
gathering Of hostile squadrons along the
Spanish Main
The question Of paramount Importance re-
garding this appointment is: what are the pecu-
liar proclivities and antecedents of Major Bor-
land in relation to the momentous duties 20
which he has been thus assigned? And to this
interrogatory the Honorable Senator from Ar
kansas has left upon the record a clear and sig
nifcant answer. In one OF the recent highly
interesting debates in the Senate on the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, Major Borland took the boldest
and most ultra ground against that convention;
and upon the broad principle that the alliance
with England upon which it was based was con-
sistent neither with sound policy, American
dignity, or any conceivable political adj
vantages to us or to the Central Ameri-
can States. He declared that he had voted
against that treaty because it was utterly
irreconcilable with the Monroe doctrine Of
European non-intervention in the domestic at
fairs of the independent States of North Ameri-
ca; and was utterly opposed to the recognition
of the validity ofthe codicil, which so far quail
fed the sweeping exclusion Of the first article
as to leave to the colonial occupation Of the
British their logwood cutting district of Hon
duras.
Fresh, then as must have been the recollec-
tions of General Pierce of the drift Of these
senatorial discussions upon the treaty afore-
said and indicating as they did the temper of
the controlling democratic majority of the
body, and manifest as the fact must be that
the agent assigned to particular duty is the
representative of the appointing power, the
conclusion is plain that Major Borland's views
were not only known to the President, in making
this appointment, but that they are approved
and shared in by the administration The in
augural address goes strongly to confirm this
assumption. Nor does the appointment of Mr.
Buchanan to England, or the selection of Mr.
Soule to that most important mission to Spain
interfere in the least degree with the anti-Fill-
more policy so distinctly Swallowed forth in
this mission to Central America.
The recent ratification of the Squier treaty
of1S50 with San Salvador, so mysteriously held
back by the Senate, or from the Senate, for three
years, is but another proof Of the new line Of
diplomacy which is to be pursued by Gen. Pierce.
AT least, with all these Developments, there
can be little doubt of his policy in the olsen
tanglenent of the international embarrassments
Of the Central American States. rendered so
perplexing and inexplicable to Gen. Taylor and
Mr.. Fillmore by the genius Of Chatfield and his
co-laborers and their successors. This policy,
we undertake to say, it is designed shall ulti-
mately supersede Mr.. Clayton's policy Of a
Joint protectorate with England of the general
independence and local rights of our neghbors
The President and his Cabinet no doubt believe
that the election Of last November condemned
the joint protection established by the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, and calls for the placing Of the
Central American States upon the footing of
absolute national independence To this END,
we therefore repeat, the appointment of Major
Borland is Of much significance and Importance.
The disposition Of the Senate, at it's late ex-
ecutive session, to declare the Clayton treaty
nullity, was apparent; and would, we presume,
have been far more manifest but for the person.
al relations Of Mr.. Vice President King in the
matter, and his dying condition pending the
late discussion Of the subject. But what is
Major Borland to do in the practical initiation
Of the broad principles laid down by Mr.. Mon
roe? He goes with q rowing commission. en-
bracing the full jurisdiction of an envoy to
each and ALL severally or collectively, of the
Central American States. He may treat with
them in detail or in the aggregate-but what
has he to do?
We know that an outrage committed some
time since by British vessel Of war upon one
Of our commercial steamers at the port of San
Juan, involved direct violation of the stipula-
tions of the..Clay ton-Bulwer treaty. We remem-
Der that our government complained of this
outrage to the government Of her. Britain
mic Majesty. and that, following an apollo
gy for the act, some further negotiations
were entered into to prevent such occur
rences for the future, in more explicit
definition OF the terms Of the aforesaid treaty.
But we are not aware that these negotiations
were contaminated in any form. Subsequently.
the establishment Of the British Colony of the
Bay Islands, and still more recently, the formal
proclamation of the Colony of Honduras, have
widened the margin Of infringements upon the
Clayton treaty and weakened its basis ola joint
protection with England over Central American
affairs.
In this view Of the subject. excepting the
rights and privileges guaranteed the Nicaragua
Canal Transit Company, we should not be sur
prised if Major Borand were to proceed under
his instructions, to form treaties with each, or a
treaty with all the States of Central America