The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-13
THE UNION: WASHINGTON FRIDAY MORNING. JANUARY 49, 1854


The prohibition against occupying country would seen
TO forbid its fertilization and colonization, and probably
also the exercise OF dominion, which itself includes It's as
sumption for IL difficult TO conceive how these acs can
be performed without some actual occupation do no.
understand why all these terms were employed any more
than do why some OF the States OF Central America
were enumerated and Others omitisi The nsgo!lslof.
able and experienced and SUPPOSE the ormet
was done out OF abundant caution but II u does mol
weaken, it certainly adds strength TO the instrument
Applying the British canon OF construction to one oil
these prohibitions we shall that all the great objects
OF this joint act OF The Two powers may be defeated
You shall not "fortfy" any part OF Central America
says the treaty to the contracting parties True, says
the Queens advocate. cannot; but, by this rule OF
aggression and conclusion, hold fohcations Tor
the purpose OF alliance or projection in any Fart OF
that country, IL we can obtain peaceabe possession Of
them. IT, therefore, by hopes or fears, Great Britain
can persuade these feeble States, Mosquito included, to
deliver TO her their fortresses, she hold them, and
cooly say TO the United States do not fortity, that ID
forbidden by the treaty. but hold fohcalions, for that
is permitted, not by the spirit OF our contract, but by
metaphysical standard applied TO It's language Unfor-
tunaley, should not be saved from such an attempt
by the restriction upon the right OF occupations for, 10
give effect the various terms OF the treaty. there may
be Notifications without occupation how, do not un-
derake explain and the Introduction is upon their
construction, and not upon their tenure, they may be
held, agreeaby the Queens advocate, whenever they
can be peaceably obtained
By such process of refinement this high-law officer
establishes the proposition that Great Britain may, in
my opinion protect any State or people Qncnding Indian
bes) 10 Central America even by force 81 arms need
iul, without violating the treaty, provided only that IN
aOrdng such protection she wholly abstans from occu'
pyng fortfyng, colonizing assuming. or exercising
domiaon beyond her territory in Central America
And he adds that he nothing in the treaty to prevent
Great Britain from sending feet or army into any part
OF that region, or from carrying on warlke operations
there Alone in alliance with any nations or States OF
Central America.
II the learned gentleman is ris hi in all this were
the forms OF solemn engagement more idly employed,
used, indeed, TO give the sembance OF dignity to what
would be lte better than national farce. An alli-
ance" or protection" that is protested engagement
Tor either OF those purposes with the Mosquito Indian
chief, or with of the weak governments oil Central
America, would be the signal, as il would De the justin
catory pretext for the admission OF British army into
that country holding j. indeed jus, as long as might
IA sh aPSss s4aay
doubt that ALLIANCE" protection" is at any mo-
ment within her REACH and with il the means OF control
ling the destiny OF that part OF the continent! And If
England can "protec" and form alliances. so may we;
and Central America may become another Flanders, a
theatre of bloody contests, where foreign nations may
their strength al the sacrifice OF the best interests
| of the country.
Ii is rather difficult TO conceive that the Queens advo-
cate is serious when he talks about the right Of British
army to oyeun any OF these States provided abstains
from occupying or exercising dominion therein "
British army upon the soil of Costa RIGA, and British
fleet it's har bors and all this neither occupying
exercising dominion that small State within the true
spirit and objects of this treaty. Why sir while this
Reputation Of national faith is an insult 10 the common
OF mankind You might well say the AustTians
exercise no dominion at Ancona, nor the French at
Rome, because the local ponce goes on with It's disced
table work The word domnion does not ssarily
imply the actual direction of the powers OF govern
ment, as the argument Of the Queens advocate would
seem to take for granted II may be assumed and
preserved without that actual interference with the in
ternal affairs OF a country. The great English lex-
cographer tells us that it means, among other things
j"poweP and "predomnance, the acquisition OF both
OF which is precisely the condition which the parties
to this treaty sought 10 prevent, lar depended
upon its provisions, And It passes my compre.
henson TO conceive how power or predomi-
nance" "domnlon," indeed, in either OF those forms.
IS TO be avoided in the presence OF British army in
Central America. 1t is idle to talk about it, The "do
mnion" of such army would both precede and fol-
low il, and would be just efectually exercised il
the government OF the country in lis hands. II
invading army does, whether they come as friends
foes. AS 10 orifyiDg" their position, such measure
would IN fact, lie useless 10 British force, looking TO
the composition and character OF the people OF those
gons The bayonets OF the invaders would furnish the
only fortress they would need Their camp would be an
impregnable stronghold and their line OF march
disputed occupation OF the country IL there kngllsh
man within the four who believes the United States
would ever have entered into this engagement with the
suspicion that II would be controlled and rendered
above by such a construction III there liz, he knows
lille OF the character of the American people. British
influence, 10 be acquired by the presence OF armed
oTce was what our government sought to exclude, as
similar exclusion with respect 10 the United States
what the British government sought II This is no,
ualy obtained by the treaty, tnsn that instrument
not worth the place occupies IN The archives OF either
nation. .U.
Lord Clarendon in his despatch TO Mr.. Champion oil
May ~, 1885, proposes that new or supplementary
treaty should supply the defects OF the first, and esab
sh scheme of adjustment by which the affairs oil Gen.
trail America, Mosquito included shall be satisfactorily
and permanently settled" &c. And he complains else
where thai similar propositions have no, been attended
to by government II is not little singular that the
Secretary OF State, Mr. Clayton, the very day of the
exchange OF the rathcaons, expressed 10 the British
minister the opinion that, on some future occasion
conventional article. clearly stating what the limits oil
Central America might become advisable" 1t is
fortunate treaty indeed, which needs explanatory sup
plement In the opinion OF the negotiaor OF of the
parties before III omogaion, and IN the opinion OF the
other party almost ever since
For myself sir, am not al all sangune in the expec
aion that any useful result will follow atemp, pro-
vide. by second treaty. for he failure OF the first The
President, IN bis message, Informed that Great Brit
ain has proposed TO settle the embarrassing questions
which have arisen out OF this treaty, by amicabe
rangemeni, and that minister at London has been
authorized to enter into negotiations upon the sublect
his step was proper, however adverse the chance OF
and the honor and the aiees oil the country
safe IN the hands of able representative wall
the adminsl ration, feel sure consent any arrange
ment which does not protect both OF these elements OF
national power. But as 10 settling the boundaries OF
Central Americageographical Central Amortization
again bring TO the recollection of The senator from
Delaware that political confederation Of that to
which he has alluded, has ceased 10 exst, aad that the
STATES that compose wholly ipdepe ndentt would
be lost labor 10 undertake II.
With respect to settling the bonn dares OF the existing
republics, have right Ia do u than they have
to settle ours And what object would be gained 10y
the effort England claims that British Honduras and IFS
dependencies not included IN the treaty, and agree
in the before stated that they The ques
,ion, them between and Engand, 1T there be any,
not as 10 the extent OF Central America, but OF Hondu-