New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-01
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The first topic of the Message is relations
with Great Britain and among these relations pre-
cedence is given to those growing out of the misun
Outstanding between the two Governments as to
the Interpretation of the Clayton.Bulwer treaty.
BY that treaty it was stipulated that neither party
"will ever occupy or fortify or coonize, or as
/" sumo, or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua,
Costa RIGA, the Mosquito Coast, or any port of
- Central America" This clause our Government
interprets into REIMBURSEMENT by Great Britain
of any territorial claims pretensions to every part
of the country included between Mexico on the
north and New Granada on the sOuth-thOugh it
seems to be admitted that this remuneration does
not extend to the occupation of the Balze for the
purpose of containing dyewoods and mahogany. IL
is further alleged by the President that this supposed
abrogation by Great Britain was the sole induce
ment on our part for entering into the treaty, and
as he expresses it. conserving to restrictions in.
regard to region Of country toheren zoe had spe-
/" cifc and peculiar interests He now complains
that while Great Britain holds us strictly to all
those restrictions, she insists that, so far as she
was concerned, the prohibition to colonize and oc-
cupy was only prospective, and did not embrace
those extensive regions upon which Britain had
set her mark previous to the treaty. The Presi-
dent indeed alleges that the British title was de-
fectiye; but in politics, as in law, possession (on
which the British base their caims) goes very
great way, and our own experience in that sort of
claim ought to satisfy us that very trivial and even
ambiguous acts of occupancy are insisted upon as
evidence of title.
The ground taken by the Britsh-though the
Message does not state it-undoubtedly is, that if
such REIMBURSEMENT as the American Govern
ment now insist upon had been Intended, it would
have been set out in express terms and with all
formality, and not left to be gathered by implca-
ton, while the unfortunate concession that the
Balze is not included in the general terms of re-
lnduishment is itself an admission that those gen.
eral terms are to be taken with exceptions; and
if with exceptions why cOnfne them to the wood
cutting establishments at Honduras This is the
weak point of our case, and one which the Presi-
dents Message does not meet.
AS to our specific and peculiar interests" in
Central America which We are said to have ex-
changed away for the remuneration by Great Britain
of territorial claims running back for more than
century these are afterward explained in the Mes
sage as being rights which we might assert in
dependently of the treaty, in consideration of our
geographical position, and OF other circumstances
(which create for us relations to the Central Amer
"ican States different from those Of any Govern
"ment of Europe" This is very curious state
ment and we could we'll wish it had been little
more explicit. We fear much that it may include
claims upon Central America quite as shadowy and
questionable to say the least, as those set up by
the British AS to geographical positiOn"-if
we want passage across Central America to Cali
fornia Great Britain wants one to Australia and
New-Zealand. As TO the "other circumstances"
what are they Does the President pretend that
We as elder brother, have sort of patriarchal
right of guardianship over Central America which
gives us any special right to NEEDLE in her affairs
This point greatly needs calculation.
That the President has got into dispute about
Central America and the Clayton and Bulwer
Treaty is certain. What he intends to do about
it be does not tell and he leaves us equally in the
dark as 10 what is to be done about Mr. Cramps
ton and the British enlistments--shich enlistments
are characterized in the Message as involving
gross violations of our neutrality laws by British
officials of high station
The Message is strenuous against the Sound
Dues, but expresses willingness to help buy Den
mark of.
Passing by a number of other topics, foreign and
domestic, of less controlling interest We come to
what the Message has to say on the subject of Kan
sas. That matter is dismissed in single brief
paragraph which takes the ground already set up
by the Government organ, The Union that nothing
has yet happened in Kansas that requires or would
Justify any interference on the Presidents part
All that harpaneJ IA thu; KAnsas has been AZ