Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
i;jIea C::,.t 81 I'll. .S.!,n:. aud
~ ne Ii5u<e OF Representatives,:


character tn the Senate and House of kepresel'a-
tivcs uIt. advised of their readiness to receive IT.
have deferred to this usage until the ci"7c oi 'he
hrst month of the session. hut my CONVICTIONS I'll I''
~ will not permit mo longer 10 postpone me n'S
charge of the obligation enjninrd by the c"nslH"n
upGn the President "to give to the Congress 'ht"r-
marn of the state OF the Union. and recommend 10
their consideration such measures rs ne shai JauEe
Ills matter of congratulations that the Republic il
TRANQUILITY advancing i'll career oil prosperity una
peace.
rouri.x MISUNDERSTANDING AMERICA.
Whilst relations of amity continue to exist between
IA. nitcd State. aud I'LL foreign powers with some
8 them grave questions depending, which may
81. are the consideration of Congress.
i such questions, the most important ID that,
ni.i In. 't!scn out of the negotiations win Grea'
'i''ai: :" -":,remce to Central America.
~ I'll corrcnon concluded between me wv"
~ .eri:ll:rn;- OH the 18th "f APRIL lS1' bon paititS
Savenanted that ''ueher will ever occupy or foriiy'
colonzc or assume exercise any dominion over,
Ncarngua, Costa Rica, the Mesquite coast, or any P'
| of Central America ,, .
1t was the urlLoub,ed understanding of the United
States in making this treaty. that oil the Pfesei',
S,ntcs f thu former republic uf Central America, and
the entire territory of each, would thenceior' ey
complete independence; and that Doth cohilae',ns
parties engaged equally and to the same extent io
th. present and for the future that II either men MA
any claim of right in Central America, such cia'iii'
and all OCCUPATION or authority under IT, were uhre-
serveiy relinquished by the stlpuatlons Oh INC con-
veu,on aud thnt no dominion was thereaiter W DC
exercised or assumed in any part OF Cehrai A''e'e"'
BY Great Britain or the United States.
This government consented to restrictions m reSaru
10 region of country wherein we had spechc ana
peculiar interests, ouiy upon the CONVICTION mat 'he
like restrictions were in the same SENSE oDG"'oy "
| ;r.st Britan ISN'T for this understanding OF The
force and effect of the convention 1t would never
have been concluded by US. -,
So clear was this understanding on the part OF The
United States that in correspondence contelnpora-
| npn wi
distinctly expressed that the mutual covenants OF non
occupation not intended to apply To inc Bttsh
establishment at the Balile. This qunilhcati"h Is 10
be ascribrd Ia the fact that i'll virtue " successive
treaties with previous Sovereigns OF the country,
Great Britain lnd obtained concession oi tue rlCht
to cut maho ,any or Il ye-woods III tue bai'Ze' ou'
with positive exclusion of all domain or sovereignty
and thus it confirms the natural construction anu u
ler,ood import of the treaty as TO all the rest OF inc
region to which the stipulatons applied
It, however, became apparent at an early DAY ai'er
entering upon the discharge OF my present lunrt's
that Great Britain still continued IN the exercise Or
assertion of large authority i'll all that part III Centra
! America commonly called the Mosquito coast, ana
covering the entire length of the State oil Nicaragua
and part of Costa Rica; that she Regarded l,c ID"
lie rs her absolute domain, and was gradually tx
tending its limits at the expense OF the stare OF non
duras and that she had formally colonized cohSid,
cradle insular group known Us the Bay Islands, anu
belonging, of right, 10 that State.
All these acts prctensions OF Great br'at', oeiis
contrary 10 the rights OF the States OF Central Aner
ca aud to the manifest tenor of her spuiatlohs WIN
the United S,ascs as understood by this government
have been made the subject OF negotiation through
the American Minister i'll London, transmit mere
with the instructions to him on the subject, ana the
correspondence between him and the British Secreta'
~ for Foreign Affairs, by which you will perceive
that the two governments differ widely nnd lrecull.
cilcably Us To the construction ut the convention anu
its effect on their respective relations 10 Ceh'ral
America.
Great Britain 80 CONSTITUTES the convention as 10
maintain unchanged all her previous pretetsinns over
the Mosquito coast, and in different parts OF lehTa
America. These prctensions, as 10 the Mosquito
coast, are founded the assumption OF political re-
latiun between Great Britain aud tie remnant VI
tribe of Indians that c"hs; entered INTO ~ time
when the whole country was a colonial possession" ct
Spain Ii cannot be successfully contruVerleu, t:at
by the public law of Europ. aud America, no possible
act OF such Indians their predecessors could confer
ON Great Britain any political rights.
Great Britain does not aiieSc the assent oil spain
IA the, Origin, of her cluns the Mosquito coast
She has on the contrary by repeated and successive
treaties reuounced and relnqa!shed all pretensons
Of her own, and recognized the full ana sovereign
rights of Spain in the most uncquIvocal terms. let
these preeusio,ls, without solid foundation III The
beginning, aud thus repeatedly ahlurcd, were, al
recent period, revived by Gres; Britain against the
Central American States the legitimate Successors 10
nll the ancient jurisdiction of Spain III thar reyIon-
They were first applied only Ia dchued part OF
the coast Of Nicaragua, afterwards to the whole OF
lis Atlantic cnast, and lastly t" part OF the coast
Of COSTA Rcai and they arc now TeHSser,ed 10 inns
extent, notwithstanding engagements to tie United
States. 80 .,
On the Eastern coast Of Nicaragua aud Costa Rcn,
the interior emce uf Great Brltnn though crereu at
one time in the form of military occupation OF the
port of San Juan del N"rte then IN the peaceful pos
session of the appropriate authorities oil the Celra
American States, is presented bY her as the right
fu exercise of prutectorsp over the Mosquito tribe
uf Indians. .
But the establishment ut the 3aize, now reaching
fur beyond it, treaty limits into the State OF liondu
ras aud that of the Bay islands npperta'nng OF right
10 the same State, as distinctly colonial govern
nens those of JaInaca or Canada and therefore
contrary the very ette: as well ns the spirit OF the
convention with the United States as it was at the
time Of ratification, aud now is, understood oy this
government.
The Interpretation which the British government,
thus in assertion and act persists IN ascrbI 10 The
conventions entirely changes its character. While It
holds us TO all our obligations, it in great measure
releases Grea. Britain from those which constituted
the consideration of this government tor entering M
to the convention. II is impossible, in my Judgment
for the United States 10 acquicsce In such cosruc
ton OF the respective relations of the two govern
nen:s 70 Central! America.
To Il renewed call by this government upon 'rrea
Britain, to abide by and carry into effect, the s,'pu
utors OF the convention according 10 lis obvious 'm
port by withdrawing from the possession OF c"I"'@"
ton of portions Of the Central American oia'sS vi
Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rca the BRUSH go
ytrnmept has at length replied, affirming TINT me
operation Of the treaty ia prospective only ana u'u
not REQUIRE Great Britain To- abandon or contract any
held by her in Central America al '''e u"'e
f.. Is conclusion. ,,,a., ar
,s,;s rrniy substitutes partial ISSUE in the place OF
a., u.i,,s. ,nc presented by the United otaleS' -.
~. Br::s:. ..pvurnmcn passes over inc Iuee!', w
ri..h,s u; Il sn; Britain, real or supposed III ct.
.meri,u and ussumes that she had such rights
M the dat. of the treaty. aud that those rlSISrm
Drel.n.i.d the protectorshp of the Mosque" Indians;
the extended jurisdiction aud limits OF inc baiize' hu
tb,, colony OF the Bay Islands, and thcrenpon pro-
.e,. NV iInpiicatiuu tn infer that. II the stipuatoH
of the treaty bc merely future III effect ,'reat britain
NAV still continue to hold the contested port'ons ..
Central America. The United States cannot ahii'i'
either the inference or the premises We.tendiy hr
nv that at the date y; the treaty, Grent Dfthh h"u
in possession there other than the inhlea aha Prcu
liar establishment at the Balizc, anu MAINTAIN lna''
if sb. Ind INV they we're surrendered ny the con-
vention. II, ,r,: 8
This government. recognizing the obligations OF
the FRENZY has uf course desired t"see II executed III
good faith by both PARTIES, and IN the discussion
,h.r.fnr. hns not looked To rights. which we might
assert independently of the treaty, IN consideration
of orr geographical position and OF DINER circuui,
stances which create for lis relations 10 tue Iei'ra
American States, different from those OF any govern
mrut Of Europe. =.
The British government in its Last communication,
although well knowing tho views nf the United
States still declares that it no reason why con-
cilatory spirit mny not enable the two governments
to overcome ull Obstacles 10 Il SATISFACTORY uuJus'''
vi the subec
Assured Of the correctness Of the construction Of
the treaty constantly adhered to by this government
and resolved 10 insist on the rights OF inc me"
states vet actuate also by the desire, which il
uvowed by the British government to remove oil
causes of serious misunderstanding between two ma
tons associated by so many ties of interest and KIM
irrh it has appeared TO me proper MOI to consider a"
amicable solution OF the controversy h"peess. .
There is however, reason to appreheud, tlat WIN
Great Britain in the actual occupation OF the dSpn-
ted territories and the trray therefore practically
null, fur regards our rights, this n'trnaii"a.
difficulty cannot innr remain undetermined, without
involving in s.rious danger the friendly relations
which il is ID. interest as well the duty of both