The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-13

an
obsfuct the entire sUsea,ts"s already sgeed
upon, his Britannia majesty. so Lar from anording
them the least succor, or even poteeuon, ~s1 dSsooU
them The solemn manner, as nc ~ui tqa@ty do those
0hs may hereafter ousmp 10 settle upo" territories belong
ing 10 hs Spanish dominion.
Nothing be clearer. therefore than mat the English
lille in Belize one Of for specific purposes and
by suherance Only. Belize has and can have no depend
eneies except The islands Immediately on the coast and
ehed in tins treaty span. wsa,sa o. .hs 'sh ..
posed every guard against extension OF even the linn
tied rights which she comedies. except 10 The island Of
Casino, lying in the harbor OF Belize (and now occupied
and fortified in violation OF The eaty0 and the little ous
OF islands lying leagues 10 the southwark OF H.
The so-called Bay Islands consequently. are not de-
tendencies of Belize. and cannot be included IN the al
ed exception OF Belize from the operation OF The Clay
ton asd Bulwer treaty. Julia, the nearest OF these
islands TO Belize is separated from by more than Two
degrees of longitude Bonacca is distant three degrees
Upon the other hand they not only Oh ths coast Of
The State OF Honduras. but actually within sight Of
the main land
which arises in connexion with this matter To whom
does Belize itself belong Clearly to- the republic OF
Guatemala The territory included in the province
OF Gua,emala under the Crown; and when tina, prov
ince threw OF the rule Of Spain, and secured is ndt
pendence, it acquired all the paramount rights which
had pcrtsined to the mother country. actual and re-
served Ii has asserted these rights over Belize, and
now asserts them Mr.. Clayton did not probably in
tend 10 compromise The rights OF Guatemal1 BY hN
fatal explanations between him and Mr.. Bulwer do
seriously compromise them. They. leave Gualemala
sinse-handed and unsupported ia The assertion OF It's
rights against Great Br'an and thus far clear
ACT Of injustice 10 that Stale Il is fac. worthy OF NO
tce that England has never yet organized Brizs ~
colony, although she has in all other respects voia.ed
In all the acts Of the British Parliament and Crown
touching Belize. il s spoken Of as being in the Vss
Crown" (Ses 81 George Ill. General act and III Geose
59) And ia the discussions which have arisen with
Gaaemala IN respec, 70 .ovesxnty over IT, ENGLAND b:
been obliged TO tall back upon her conditional and limited
tenure from Span and clam that being held by her, Be-
Ire did participate the Independence Of the prov
lace TO which il originally belonged. And have reason
to believe tina, negotiations have been opened at Madrid
iof the absolute cesson OF Belize to England. This
proposition has been coupled with Others relating TO
port of Spanish authority in that island But Spain. TO
her credit be il said hesitaes to sanction the doctrine
that in the general Independence OF her colonies there
could be local exceptions These are questions which
will certainly arise within the next four years. and in
which will be called upon take part, unles, they
shall be barred by the alleged exceptions TO the treaty
of 1850"
had intended, after showing that the so-called Bay
Islands not and have never been. legitimate dependen-
the contrary they and have always BEEN dependen-
ces, and under the sovereignty OF the province and
public of Honduras But cannot claim large por-
ton OF your space for proving what cannot think be
called in question by any moderately convesant with
the history OF these islands.
1t is evident enough tina, il England had occu.
pied them asserted Jurisdiction them any time
they given up and that jurisdiction surrendered by
The treaties OF 1853 and 1856. and by the actual treaty Of
abandon the continent in general but all the islands
adjacent loi,ho,a e1ception.'
In 1904 these islands were visited by Colonel Hender
son. who was then military commander at Belize. On
page 20 Of his work he says The island OF Roa,an,
as has been previously remarked, belongs 10 Spain, and
military station is retained upon it," And in all OF
the British and other geographical works from that time
up to the independence Of the Spanish colonies apo.
ken OF as belonging TO the province OF Honduras When
a;s 81 q sos
islands They passed within her jurisdiction, and were
occupied by her without dispute hnderance from any
quarter Her title them was clear and unq uestioned
and she exercised them freely all the rights Of SOW
ereignty.
This state Of things continued after Honduras entered
at which time the British superintendent Of Belize who
had become mbtered against the republic in cOnse.
quence OF its refusal 10 surrender certain runaway slaves
made descent upon Roatan and seized il in behalf Of
the British Crown AT this time the States Of Central
America were united The federal authorities made IN
immediate aud energetic the British gov
eminent, by whom the act was formally dsavowed and
the island restored (See Crowes " Bible in Central
Amerca,"p 1885, and Dunlop's Central America, p lso
From this time until S4I the island appears to have
remained IN the peaceful occupation OF the people and
government OF Honduras although it is be doubted
that the supentendsnts OF Belize constantly on The
watch for petexts TO add Roa,an their usurpaons on
the coasts but the rights OF Honduras had been too dis
ncy and too often recognised to admit OF being aside
upon any pretext which their fertile brains were capable
OF devsing. Yet in Is4l, Col Macdonald supern,end-
enl OF Beze-whose deeds in Central America enti,Ie him
pancal chiefs who won infamous notoriety in the
same field OF the that ihe pew
Gus eezure OF 1850 had been by his govern.
ment proceeded, In the British soop of war Rover TO
Roatan What followed is thus narrated by Britsh
author, (Mr. Crowe) AS he expected, COL Nscdou.
aid found only few inhabitants under the care OF eeI
geant, and email detachment soldiers BELONGING 10
the State OF Honduras These being incapable OF resst
ance he proceeded haul down the fax OF the resub
and TO hoist that OF Great Britain in ts stead No sooner
however, had he than he had the mor,i6ca
ton OF seeing the unonack replaced by the blue and
white stripes OF Honduras. He subsequently, returned
and completed The ngorou revelation by taxing such
precautions and making such threats az he thought
The State Of Honduras protested against this patica
seizure OF Tie island in time VI profoand peace but after
much correspondence, got satisfaction tor the tnsu
except letter from the British agent in the country in
forming Il that when Colonel Macdonald hauled down
me nag oil that State, in Roaisn was by ORDER OF the
british government" THIS to have been Gone Ion
'ne purpose OF screening Jealous ofce for il
seems incredible that Great Britain cherished the deber
ale design OF robbnG Honduras of these portions of her
territory, in the face Of her own treaties OF 1855 and
and her own disavowa of the seizure of the sands
in 1880 -'.-1- 1855
Honduras was restrained by fear and prevented by her
oSn internal disorders from forcibiy reasesrnx her u.
nsdction over the islands 10 the time many lbs.
rated slaves came there and establishes ,hemsevss For
me time they appear to have been without anv form a
government living IN very primitive style but with the
oil inhabitants they organized kind OF eouso