The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-02-09
III E DE M OCRAT
PHILLIPS & PERKINS, EDIrons
The Origin OF the CIayton-Rulyyer
Treaty..

Britain, concluded IN 1880, relative to Central
America and the construction Of ship-csnal
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, makes it prom
er for US to recall the leading circumstances
which gave rise to it.
The extracts we presented yesterday from the
treaties between Spain and England contain the
most solemn s.ipulations that British subjects.
and all colonists enjoying the protection of the
English flag. should confine themselves to that
portion of Central America now called inprop-
erly British Honduras, and limiting these rights
in that territory to the commercial privilege Of
cutting wood, the right of fishery for comsump-
ton, and Of using the natural productions OF
the earth. The extract we made from the trea-
| ty of London mentions the Mosquito coast b
names as country which British subjects and
those enjoying its protection should abandon.-
Inasmuch as the Mosquito protectorate was set
up anterior to that treaty, it was specially and
mphatically abandoned by that engagement
But, regardless of its plighted faith, the British
government never carried out its various en-
gagements to Spain; for, in despite Of them, it
undertook to continue the protectorate, by ta-
king the chief of the Mosquito tribe 10 Jamaica
and there crowning him as a vassal of the Eng
lish Crown This absurd farce was re-enacted
whenever it became necessary, in violation Of
the principles which have always been main
tanned By all civilized nations as to the nature
and extent of Indian titles While the atten-
tion of the United States was centred on the
! Mexican war aud the exigencies which grew out
of 1t, an English force seized the town of San
Juan, on the north b1nk of the Nicdraugua riv-
er, IN the name aud on behalf of the Mosquito
Indians. About that time we were represented
near the government of Nicaragua by Hon. Eli
JAN Hise, who succeeded in negotiating treaty
with the proper officer of that government, by
which the most important privileges were gran
ted TO the United States. The right of wav
through Nicaragua for mails, troops, and muni-
tions of war was given to the United States
with the further right to charter company for
the purpose of establishing an inter-oceanic
communication through the territory of that
republic. Privilege was granted to introduce
! free of duty, all the materials necessary to be
used IN constructing that communication, as we'll
as the provisions and supplies for those engaged
on the work. These and other advantages were
granted TO the United States. aud tho oonnp pes,z
which might be formed under its auspices, with
out requiring US to enter into entangling ALLAN
ces with other parties. In the mean time Mr..
Barclay, the British consul at New York, pub
lished notice on behalf of his government, an
nouncing that the left or northern bank of the
Nicaragua river belonged to the Mosquito In
dians. who were under the protection of Great
Britain, and warning all persons from underta.
kings in that portion of Central America.
The claim thus set up for abe Mosquito In.
dians by the seizure of San Juan and the Motif
cation of the British consul at New York was in
the last degree preposterous aud insulting
Neither Great Britain, nor France, nor Spain,
nor the United states nor any other civilized
power, had ever before acknowledged sovereign
/ ty in an Indian tribe On the contrary. all of
them had proceeded on the principle that the
occupancy of the aborigines did not interfere in
any manner with the rights derived by Christian
nations from discovery and settlement. Had
the British government taken the chief of the
Seminoles to Jamaica, crowned him king, taken
him under its protection, and on that pfetence
had set up Seminole protectorate in Florida
its course would not have been more absurd
than that by which it undertook to establish a
Mosquito protectorate on the coast Of Central
America, in order to furnish pretext for estab-
fishing a colony on one of the routes between
the Atlantic and Pacific. But if the established
law had been different-had the custom of civil
ized nations recognized the sovereignty of Indian
tribes in the territory they roaned over-yet
England had by solemn treaties recognised the
Mosquito coast as possession Of Spain, aud had
stlpuiated in express terms that her subjects and
persons enjoying her protection should abandon
that coast, and not resort to it even for timber
or to gather the natural productions Of the soil
The complete and perfect title OF Spain to the
territory inhabited by the Mosquito indians had
been acknowledged not by inference or implica-
ton, but in plain and direct terms; and in
terms equally plain and direct England had en-.
Gagged to abandon ber protectorate there. And
further, if England had not acknowledged the
title of Spain TO the Mosquito country, nol
abandoned its protectorate, the seizure Of the
left bank of the Nicaragua river would still have
been an outrage, inasmuch as the republic o
Nicaragua had perfect title to both banks Of the
river to the sea-a fact which is sustained by
Authoritative maps, by history, and by long and
undisputed possession. Nicaragua had not lost
her rights by failure to settle and use; for hel
citizens had settled and used the left bank, aud
had founded the town of San Juan, near the
mouth of the river. years ago, and continued to
occupy it until the forcible seizure by the Brit
, |ish.
Mr.. Hise'g treaty did not reach Washington