The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-06


both agreed that we never could aud would recog
Mise any title 10 The eminent domain as existing IN Great
Btain in what was called British Honduras or Belize.
We coacurred exactly with the report oi The honorable
chairman OF the Committee on Foreign Relations, that all
The title that Great Britain bad in the territory called
Belize was tie right OF occupancy in the territory
pointed out in the treaty OF 1856. between Great Brit.
Sir, there other extraordinary statements made
that occasion II was stated by in debate that
Gen, Tayofs executive message to the Senate, comau-
nicaung the treaty OF the 18th OF April 1885, had de-
scrbed the country within which the British not 10
occupy iortiy coonize, or assume exercise any do
minon, as extending from the southern part Of Mexico
to the interior ot New Granada The President had stated
IN that executive message that the treaty provided Tor the
protection of all the routes between the points which
have Just named but the country from which the British
were excluded by The treaty was the country described IN
the first article The eighth article speaks OF protection
TO be given 10 the Tehuanlepec route aud the Panama
route; and sad blunder made by somebody in
quoting that passage 10 show that British Honduras
included in that treaty 1t is unnecessary for to
pose what is al once made palpable TO every one who
will look at the eighth section Of the treaty.
Again il insinuated in debate, il understood il.
that the President and cabinet had not been informed Of
my proceedings at the time OF the exchange Of the railt-
cations. On what authority such an insinuation may
have been made II Is Impossible for me TO conjecture, Tor
think at this very moment one OF the cabinet OF PIes
dent Taylor within hearing OF my voice, and will bear
testimony with me, as every other member would, that
iec,y understood by every cabinet minister, well as
by the President himself II is only necessary mention
these things, and have done with them 1t is painful
to allude 10 accusations built upon suc miserable state
mens this
AT the instance of the senator from Michigan, reso,
luton adopted by the Senate the 9th OF January
lasl referring my correspondence with Sir H. Bulwer.
at the time of exchanging rahcations TO the Committee
Foreign Relations, with instructions 10 that com
nllee 10 inquire what measures were necessary the
part oil Inc Senate TO be taken on account OF it, On the
lih OF February the committee reported resolution that
Mr.. Bulwers declaration ard my reply 10 import
nothing more than an admission on the part OF the two
governments their functonaries. al the time of
changing acaons, that nothing contained in the treaty
was be cons sdered afecung the title existing rights
OF Great Britain TO the Engsh settlements in Honduras
bay and consequently that no measures necessary
the part OF the Senate TO be taken because OF Sir Henry
declaration and my reply.
To This part OF the report, which acquitted me OF the
imputatons upon me, Of course do not object The
committee have negalyed all the statements OF those who
declared that the Senate dd not understand the treaty
had explained il to Mr.. Bulwer, or have deemed them
unworthy of their notice My triumph over these accu
satohs is completed by the report Of the very tribunal
lected by my accusers IN my absence TO Try me- But
there is one part OF the committees report which, al
though II Is mol necessary lo my Justification to retue IT.,
yet Indispensable as an excuse Tor those who assaed
My attitude is, therefore, in this respect longer
merely defensive. deny the statements of the commit
Tee so lar as they go to excuse those who assaled
and become the accuser my turn The statement Of
the committee TO which mean to except is, tina, the
boundaries allotted to the British settlements the Be
in the territory OF the republic OF Guatemala" mean 10
maintain that this opinion statement OF the committee.
whether considered politically, geographically, or histoIi-
cally, utterly and absolutely erroneous; and that the
British settlements within the boundaries allotted to them
by the treaties Of 1853 and 1855 are and have been,
from the earliest history OF that country, within that in
tendency OF Mexico called Yucatan Merida, and never
formed portion, and do not at this day form portion
either OF the State OF Guatemala of the ancient vceroy
atty OF Guatemala, or OF that country which is known
among Statesmen by the name OF Central America.
he term Central America has been used among some
blunseng geographers and careless travellers appca.
bic 10 many different parts OF this hemisphere | can
supply the committee with several such books "John-
sons Gazetteer" which quoted in debate, and which
describes II as containing large portion OF Mexico and
the whole republic of New Granada Such the
character OF the authority relied upon IN debate here by
senators prove that they understood when they
voted the treaty OF The 10th OF April 1850. that Brit
lsh Honduras was included in that treaty. OF course,
them they unders ood that The treaty covered only
large portion of Meieo. but the whole republic OF New
Granada Now, among statesmen and legislators, the
boundaries OF country designated by particular phrase
those which their OTIS have recognised
under that designation. We made treaty the 5h OF
December, 1925. with "Cenlral America" "Centro-
America" and have repeatedly accredited ministers,
for whose missions Congress has made appropriations
from time ,s time, 10 the government OF Central America
At the time we have sent other men as ministers 10
New Granada as a separate government-,o Mexico as
another government special agents 10 iucaan, and con-
suls TO British Honduras. The Writer'S OF gaZeteers aud
careless travellers may classify countries according 10
fancy and nobody is hurt by If they happen extend
The of Central America to the whole ishmus
between North and South America, or even TO the
arctic circle but statesman IS expected TO speak,
when writing a treaty, in the language and according
10 the meaning OF the terms employed by his gov
in former treaties and laws. Our treaty with
"CeDtro- America" or Central America, of Deem
Der 5lh, 1895 treaty with the conedera,ed
States OF Guatemala, San Salvador, Honduras, Mica
ragua, and Costa Rlca and the constitution OF the
republic of Central America, adopted on the 22i of
November 1894 and officially commu nicated TO gov
ernmeni before made the treaty with that republic,
described its territories embracing only the ancient
viceroyalty OF Guatemala with the exception OF the
province OF Chiapa,. Whatever excluded by Cen
lral America IRON her limits could not be embraced
IN treaty with that government, any treaty
spectina its territories with any other government So
far, the committee and agree They have repudia,ed
the preposierous and silly conclusions arrived by
OF which schoolboy ought to be ashamed,
and content myself with referring the facility with
which the committee have rejected the geogra Apply OF such
learned Thebans, and adopted the conclusion that the
treaty OF 1850 includes nothing than the Central
America embraced in her constitution. But the
port OF the committee shall not the ignorance OF
Others who asserted with much confidence here that
proceed prove beyond the power OF successful denial
that The settlements al Belize, within The limits OF the
treaty OF 1856, could not bg possibility be included in the
territory Of Central America; and throw down the
gauntlet. not only TO all these wise who thought
so silly for admitting that these settlements were not
within the treaty, but even to this Committee Foreign
Relations and invite them To defend this part of their
repor, If they can
shall prove them to have been guilty of a gross er.
ro first by the authorities which they themselves have
relied upon, and then by every authority whether po
CAL geog apnca, historical, which is worthy Of
spect
And first as to the authorities relied upon by the com
mill In enprs statc thp n,rfb