The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-12-31

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
fsRsg citizens 81 The Senate and
Qffhe Hossc yf Representatives

ags s,al assemble annually on the Monday of De-
eelabor and ii has been usual for the Presldsa 10 make
10 communication OF public character To the Senate and
House OF Representatives until advised Of their readiness
receive IT, have deferred to this until the close
Of The FIRST month OF the sessioa, but my convictions Of
duty viii moi permit longer to postpone the discharge
Of tho obligation enloned By the constitution upon the
President to give TO the Congress information OF the
stats Of the Union, aud recommend their consideration
such he shall judge necessary and expeden
ii Is matter Of congrataaton that the Repubhc Is tran
guilty advancing ia careerof prosperity and peace
rosties RnLarross.--oKsrRAL anEnes.
Whilst rotations of amity continue to exist between the
United States and all foreign powers, with some of them
grave depening which may require the Goa
sdesatlon OF Congress.
OF such questions, the mos. important that which has
arisen out OF tho negotiations with Great Britain In refer
snce 10 Central America 8-t ataH
By tho convention concluded between the two govern
18th of April 1850, both parties coyenanted
chat neither will ever occupy, orfy, colonies
exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part ct Central
America"
twas the undoubted understanding of the United States,
in making this treaty, that all the present States Of the
former republic Of Central America and the entire terri
tory Of EACH would thencciorh enjoy complete ndepend
enee and that both contracting parties engaged eqnay
and the extent for the present and Tor the fixtures
that if either then had any claim OF right IN Cchtral Amor
ca such claim, and all occupation aaihoniy under IT,
unreservody ronquished by The seua,ons Of the
convention; and that no dominion thereafter to be
exercised assumed in any part of Central America. BY
Great Britain the United States
This government consented restrictions In regard to
region OF wherein we Speritse peculmf
interests only upon the conviction that the like restrie
tons in the obligatory Great Britain
But Tor this understanding of the force and effect OF The
convestion would never have been concluded by U.s.
so clear was this understanding the part OF the Uni
ted States that correspondence cop,cpoaneous with
the ratification of the conventions, il distinctly
pressed, that the mutual covenants Of non-occupaon
not Intended TO apply TO the British establishment at
The Gaze. This qualification is to be ascrihsd ts the fact
shat, IN virtue Of successive treaties with previous
reigns Of the country Great Britain had obtained
Of the right mahogany dyewoods at the
iaize, but with positive exclusion of all domain
reignty aid thus il confirms the natural construction and
understood import of the treaty all the real of the
region TO which the spuations applied
It, however, became apparent, at "a early day after
terng upon the discharge ei my present functions, that
Great Britain still continued in the assertion of
large authority in all that part of Central America com
monty called the Mosquito coast, and covering the entire
length OF the State of Nicaragua and part Of Costa Rica
that she regarded the Balze her absolute donin and
was gradually extending It's limits at the expense OF the
State OF Honduras and that she had formally colonized
considerable 'nsuar group known as the Bay Islands, and
belonging, OF right, to that State.
All these pretensions of Great Britain, being
contrary to the rights of the States of Central America,
ami TO the manifest tenor her stpulaons with the Uni-
ted States understood by this government have been
made the subject of negotiation through the American Min
ster ondon transmit herewith the instructions to INN
on the subject and the correspondence between him aud te
British Secretary for Foreign Affairs by which yon will
perceive that the two governments differ widely and ire
conoeahiy To the construction of the convenon and
its effect tpoi- respective relations to Central Amerca
Great Britain construes the convention, To MAIN
TAU unchanged all her previous prcicnsons over the Mos
quito coast and in different parts of Central America
These preensons to the Mosquito coast founded
the assumption political relation between Great Britain
and the remnant of tribe of Indians that coast en-
tered into at time when the whole country colo
troveted, that, by the public law Of Europe and America,
40 possible act Of such Indians their predecessors could
confer on Great Britain any political rights.
Great Britain does aiege the assent of Spain as the
origin of her claims the Mosquito coust. She has, on
The contrary by repeated aud successive treaties, re-
noancod and renquishe all pre'ensions Of her own and
anI nj
most uneqnvocal terms Yet these pretensons, so with
oet solid foundation in The beginning, and thus re-
peatediy abjured, were, at recent PERIOD revived by
Great Britain against the Central American States, tile
Legitimate TO all the ancient Jurisdiction OF
Spain in that region They first applied only to a
defined part Of the coast of Nicaragua afterwards to the
whole of its Atlantic coast and lastly to part OF the
coast Of Costa Rca and they reasserted to this
oS,e engagements 70 me unl'eo ~.
interference Of Great Britain though exertcd at one time
~ The form Of military occupation of the port OF San
uan del Norte then the peaceful possession Of the APP
proprate authorities Of the Central American States, is
presented by her the rigul exercise of Protec-
torship over the Mosquito tribe Of Indians.
Bet the establishment at the Baize, now reaching tar
beyond lis treaty limits into the State OF Honduras, ana
that Of the Bay islands, appertaning Of right to the same
State, as distinctly colonial governments those Of
Jamaica Canada and therefore contrary to tn yer,
letter well the spirit of the convention ,th the Uni
ted States as twas at the time OF ra and now is
understood by this government
The Interpretation which Inc British government thu.
n asse ton and act, persists in ascrbny the cenvcn
zion, entirely changes its character While il holds III
70 all our obligations II in great measure releases Great
Britain from those which constituted the consideration d
WIS government for catering into the convention 1t il
ampossbie IN my Judgment, for the United Statos
qesce IN such construction Of the respective relations
Of The two governments to Central America, a
10 renewed call by this government upon Great Brit
am 10 ABIDE by, and carry into effect the stipuations
,e convention according to its obvious import, by with
aaw,hs from ine possession colonization of portions
le oentra emarican States of Honduras Ncarn qua and
osa i'ico the British government has length replied
fihog that the operation of tho treaty prospective
only, and did not reqe Great Britain to abandon or con-
any possessions held by her in Central America at the
date Of its conclusion.
reply substitutes partial ISSUE in the place Of the
general one presented BY the United States The British
government passes the question of the rights of rea,
Fa real or supposed, 10 Central America and
at she had suc rights at the date Of the treaty. and tina,
Anose rights compchcnded the prectorshp OF the Mos
Gnto Indians the extended jurisdiction and mts of the
proceeds by implication infer that If the stpulaons OF
TIE treaty be merely future effect, Great Britain may
stu continue to hold tho contested portions Of Central
smerica. The United States cannot admit either the in
ference or the promises. We steadily deny that at the
GAZE OF the treaty. Great Britain had any there
ether Than the limited and peculiar establishment at The
alize and maintain that, ii she he had any, they were
surrendered by the convention.
lois government, recognizing the oblg atoms Of the
treaty. has of course desired it executed in good
iait by both parties, and in the discussions therefore, has
not looked to rights, which night Independently
o. ihe treaty. IN consideration of our geographical position
and OF other circumstances which us relations
70 Inc Central American States different from those of