Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-04
THE Mosaurro rRorEoroRArE.


Since the destruction of San Juan de Mica
ragua, we have seen that the idea has been
thrown out that Great Britain has interests
there. Ii Great Britain has interests in that
quarter, such fact ought not to be permitted
to alter the case, because we ought not to Suffer
band of negro pirates to outrage our citizens
and insult our government, even if the English
government should have the hardihood to pro.
tect them.
The abolitionists are excited because felo.
nioEs negro settlement has been suppressed,
and they wish to ffghten the timid by holding
up before them the raw-head and bloody-bones
Of British wrath. To carry out their infamous
purposes, they would not scruple to declare
that the English had full and complete title
TO San Juan, for they have no patriotism or
public spirit and would embrace any falsehood
with delight, if it gave them a hope Of further
ing their reasonable designs.
Great Britain has no rights in Central Amer
lea, except the mere commercial privilege en-
joyed By her citizens of cutting wood at the
Ba!ize, in Honduras. The Mosquito pyotecto
rate, BIZ virtue of which she has undertaken to
NEEDLE with matters south Of Honduras is
mere pretense. Such Protectorate could
have no rightful existence. France, Spain,
England-all the nations that colonized Amer
ica--regarded the Indian as a heather and de-
MED his capacity to hold his hunting grounds by
any valid tile. All American colonization has
been conducted on that principle, and no ma
ton adhered to it more firmly than Great Bri-
tain. The Indian being regarded as incapa-
bic of holding land By a'valid title, and Indian
polite, any Protectorate founded on Indian title
or Indian sovereignty, must be regarded as a
mere pretense, put forward for selfish pur.
poses.
But if the Mosquito Protectorate had been
right and proper in its origin, the British gov
ernment has renowned and abandoned 1t by
the most binding acts, and in the most solemn
manner. By solemn treaty with Spain she
renowned it, and by solemn treaty with the
United States she promised TO renounce il, and
to abandon all the rights and privileges she
claimed under and in virtue of it. This will
be made perfectly clear by the brief sketch OF
the Mosquito Protecorate which we present
this morning.
The Island Of Jamaica was conquered by ali
expedition fitted out by Oliver Cromwell.
After that conquest the chief of the Mosquito
Indians, whose lands were claimed by Spain,
placed himself and his tribe under the protec-
ton OF Charles the Second. The British gov
ernment accepted theP rotectorate, and made
it sort Of appendage 10 the Jamaica colony,
juslifrng its conduct by the plea that Spain
had never subdued the Mosquito Indians. On
the same principle, che might now establish an
Apache, Comanche, or Seminole Protectorate;
and on the same principle Spain might have
become the protector of nearly all the Indian
tribes from Maine TO Georgia. 1t is absurd,
therefore, TO pretend that the Mosquito Protec.
torate had valid origin, or that it is in accord
ance with the idea which has always prevailed,
and which now prevails, as to the character
Of Indian titles, and the rights of the Indian
race.
But Independent Of all this, the British gov
eminent has renounced the Nusquito Protec
torate in the most solemn and emphatic man.
ner. In the beginning of that Protectorate,
many British subjects freluenied the Mosquito
coast to trade with the natives and to cut dye
woods to send to Europe. But Spain always
denied the right OF the English to establish
trading settlements on that coast; for she claimed
the country under the right Of discovery as a
part of the Spanish american continent. Many
collisions took place in that quarter, and Eng
land and Spain were frequently at war in the
old world. When the peace Of Versailles was
concluded in 1888, England stipulated to aban-
don all portions of the Spanish American con.
tiuent, except specified district lying between
the river Balize and the Rio Hondo, next 10
Yucatan In the district thus reserved, the
Spanish government gave British subjects the
right to act and carry away dye-woods but
specially re .erving her sovereignty and limiting
the rights granted 10 mere commercial privi-
lege, with he permission TO erect such build.
ings as might be necessary TO make that privi-
= lege available.
On one pretence or another, but chiefly on
the ground that Mosquito was not part Of the
Spanish American continent, England failed
and refused to fulfill the stipulations of the
treaty Of 1888; and another treaty was con.
cluded between the same parties, at London, in
July 1886. The first article Of the treaty Of
1876 obliged all British subjects and colonists
enjoying the protection of England "to cvacu.
ate the country Of tie Mosquitoes, as well as
the continent in general" and the islands ad.
jacent, excepting only the reservation at the
Balize which was increased in its dimensions.
The British government stipulated TO give
orders 70 carry out tb;e ,rovison Of the treaty