Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-26
In SENATE, MARCH IA, 1858.

In SENATE, MARCH Ia, 1858.
Mr. MASON said Mr.. President it is my desire to
make remarks in reply of the views expressed
by the Senator from Delaware r CLAYTON Interference
to the subject of debate before the Senate at the last
son connected with the affairs of Central America and
the treaty between the United States and Great Britain
in 1850.
The treaty of the 10Th Of April, 1850, negotiated at
Washington and ratified by the Senrte of the United
States came back from England ia the month of June
following having received there the ratification Of the
British Government and on the 4th Of July it for
may published under The proclamation of the President
thus becoming the supreme law of the land We all
that when the treaty before the Senate there
was some objection made to it, because 1t seemed to in
volye departure from the established policy Of this
Government to avoid all foreign alliance, any alliance
that might commit enangle us in the management OF
our external relations There found in that treaty
mutual engagement between the'two Governments
England and the United statesstipulating for the
tua protection and security and that mutual in
PREVENTION in the affairs foreign Powers connected with
projected canal through the republic Of Nicaragua
say that this provision Of the treaty caused differ
ence of opinion in the Senate when it before U.S.
to the proprety of departing to that extent from
the existing and weestabished policy OF the Govern
But these objections waived, andeultimatey
the treaty conciated large vote, because there
further in it what believe considered at the time
final extinction of all claims and all pretensions to claim
on the part Of the British Government within the country
termed by the treaty Central America think
right in saying that those provisions in the treaty
cated objection, and the result was that ratified
by . large vote. ,~
Things remained in that condition it being the general
impression of the country that whatever views purposes
Great Britain might have had upon the extended of
Central America they were all renowned and queted
forever by the treaty of 1850 Nor did know to the
contrary until during the last session of Congress- when
information came not in official FORM but in man
ner which made pretty strong impression upon the
country that somehow contrayenton Of the provisions
of this treaty. Great Britain projected the establishment
if it had already established, colony within the limits
of Central America upon certain islands called the Bay
Islands. On the Both of December the Senate adopted a
resolution calling upon the President to communicate to
the Senae if not incompatible with the public interest
any information in the possession of the Executive in
ation this projected colony The President replied to
that resolution in due time and informed substantial
y that he had no information the subject and that
1 had diplomatic agent Government functionary of
any kind in that quarter from whom information could be
i derived But with the message the President communi
Gated correspondence which had taken place between
the British Minister at Washington and the Secretary Of
State the time the notifications Of the treaty of 1850
were exchanged. And far as / am informed, it was
then for the first time made known that any thing had
been appended to that treaty. connected
with it. under the shadow of which the Government of
Great Britain might the tight to continue its in
terventon its dominion within the limits of Central
| America.
communication of such transaction produced strong
sensation in this body 1t made the occasion Of
extended debate and amongst others who participated in
it the honorable Senator from Michigan, Mr. CAss
whose absence and the of that absencewe all
greet the honorable Senator from Illinois, AIr DOUGLASS
and the honorable Senator from Louisiana, mr. SouLE
There Others believe who took part in the debate
with view to illustrate thecharacter of the correspon
dence, and its bearing upon the spulaons of the treaty
The subject referred to the Committee Foreign Re-
lations | did not participate in the debate did not
do it for two reasons first because had not sufficient
information to enable to form judgment satisfactory
to myself and secondly because the whole subject mat
ter being before the Committee Foreign Relations Of
which member, thought the matter ought to be
inquired into further before any opinion should be
pressed upon it. The committee made its report
the close of the late session That report directed
three points The first to the alleged colony
the Bay Islands and the report informed the Senate
from the best information within reach Of the committee
that these Bay Islands, five in number formed part Of the
dominion of the Republic of Honduras and that the Re-
public of Honduras being undoubtedly part Of Central
America any attempt colonze those islands would be
in contravenon Of the treaty The second point which
the report Of the committee directed vas upon the
questions connected with the British settlements the
Bellies and the report informed the Senate the judg
nent Of the committee that Great Britain held do-
Ton at the Belize whatsoever that her possessions there
settlements in the character Of 'useful do
main" fully established by the treaties between
Great Britain and Spain that political character what
attached to the settlements there any
Government there except for police regulation Upon the
question whether those British settlements at the Belize
not in Central America, the committee in
formed the Senate that they had been unable to obtain
information sufficiently precise determine with certain
ty their exact geographic position But upon the proofs
before them the committee entertained a strong opinion
that they located within the territory Of Guatemala
and in such case that they also would constitute part
OF Central America, and strictly within the renun
Citations of the treaty of 1850 The third point taken
in reference the construction that should be placed
upon the correspondence between the British Minister
and the Secretary Of State the time Of the exchange
the rafcations Of the treaty The result Of hedelbe-
ration of the committee, shown in their report
that the correspondence did nothing than express
as the opinion of the Executive Department Of the Gov
ernmen that the treaty of 1850 left unaffected the exist
ing rights Of the British the Belize, whatever they
/ might be.
The honorable Senator from Delaware in his remarks
the other day. understood him. acquiesced in all the
conclusions to which the committee in their report
except one and that in opinion expressed by the
committee that the British settlements at the Belize
in Central America and the honorable Senator pleased
TO express himself rather in Of Anticipated tr-
umph. lie said:
=" join with Che committee upon that point and
prepared show the honorable Senator 1.-THE chairman Of
Foreign R~aons by abundant authority that these British
settlements the Belize Central America but that
they are in Mexico, in the Province Of Yucatan."
confess somewhat surprised at the very decided
tone Of the Senator in joining hisissue The committee
had not assumed IT, The committee presented to the
Senate the best opinion they could form upon the state Of
the information before them and they presented the ques
ton in the alternative and in the alternative strictly II
these settlements in Central America then of
any extension of British dominion there will be in viola
ton Of the treaty II not then the treaty does not apply
The committee expressed its opinion that which now
entertain but with guarded reference to the Of its
information, that these settlements in the Republic Of
Guatemala and therefore in Central America WINS sur
prised the decided tone Of the honorable Senator
from Delaware in joining issue with the committee.
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