The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-14
The Lord Mayo Dinner to MIR. Buchanan
To Whom our Difficulties with England
Should be Referred

| The Lord May ol's Dinner to mr.. Buchanan
To Whom our Difficulties with England
| should be Referred.
The Lord Mayor of London invited select
circle Of leading commercial men "a most sig
ni6cant token) on the 9th ult, to meet Mr.
Buchanan and to testify to him, and through
him to the American people, the cordial
friendship of the British people. 1t was un
| fortunate, indeed that Mr.. Buchanan was in
vited also by the Queen, on the same day, and
was compelled by respect to her Majesty, as
the chief of the nation as well.as by courtesy,
to decline the Lord Mayors reception. These
demonstrations have suggested plan for set
ting our dispute with Great Britain, and we
lose no time in laying it before the Cabinets of
London and Washington.
1t is tolerably clear that the Central Ameri-
can controversy will be permitted to remain
| pre- cisely where it is-both parties adhering to
| their construction of the Clayton. Bulwer
treaty. Meanwhile, the matter in dispute is
really no concern Of England or the United
| States.
LORD Clarendon has proposed to Mr.. Marcy
that the differences between the two govern
ments shall be referred to the decision OF
| friendly Power, and thus the case stands and so
| it is likely to remain. 1t is not probable that
the Washington Cabinet will consent to arbi-
tration, and it is even more unlikely that Eng
land will yield to our pretensiOns. The dis
pute thus will become chronic, and be permit
ted, in the hands OF politicians on both sides
Of the water, to disturb the commerce and in
| dustry Of the two nations. Neither party is
likely to take the initiative Of war, and indeed
it is not easy to see how it can be made the
! subject of such an issue in the face of the
events occurring in Central America under
our own auspices.
Meanwhile business Of every kind will con-
tinue to be conducted by the people of the
United States and her Majesty's subjects just
as usual. We shall produce and send forward
our cotton, rice, wheat flour, corn, beef, pork
and lard; and we shall receive in return the
| products Of British manufactures just as we
| have done for the last twenty years. We
shall, too, welcome to our shores great num-
bers of emigrants from her Majesty's domin-
ions, and they will become citizen producers,
| good democrats, and faithful adherents Of our
| political and social institutions. We shall Z
vance our frontier limits at the rate of TWEEN
| ty-fve miles every year; and our enterpri I
| overlapping the federal boundaries, will ap.
pear here and there, even in Central Americ I
| While these are certain to be practical re-
| suits on this side Of the water, we are equally
ready to concede that her Majesty's sub
jects will be exceedingly active and fruitful
| OF good works on the other side. Against the
| success Of British industry and the well-being
| of the people of that country, we have never
| had and never expect to have reason to COM
| plain. We rejoice in their triumphs and free
| ~ and gratefully acknowledge the benefits
| they have conferred upon US. The two indus
| trial nations, united In the bonds of recipro.
| cal trade, have secured vast good to the hu
man family, and if they are permitted to con-
tinue their works they will clearly prove that
| their beniGcent service has but just commenced.
| 1t is very remarkable, too, that they are and
ever have been fast friends, ready to promote
the common good by acts Of honorable rival
| ry and emulation
Now, we propose to the Cabinets of London
and Washington reference of the Central
| American difficulty to the decision of the peo-
pie of England and the people Of the United
States. BY the theory OF the British and fede-
raj constitution, the subject matter in disp tie
distinctly appertains to them. They are ne
| only parties in actual interest-the only ! r.
ties to be affected by the decision, one way or
| the other.
| Central America is governed by small M
| tionalities, recognized as independent ST ,tes
by all the world. Neither John Bull nor Bro
Their Jonathan has any business there. Let the
people of England, then, and Of the United
States, be free to make terms with the Central
American governments for occupation and
citizenship. 1t is for the latter to fix these
conditions and for the former to determine
the advantages and disadvantages thereof, and
to govern themselves accordingly. Should
they be induced to become inhabitants of that
country, 1t may be counted on as certain that
they will greatly improve it in industry and
government. The people Of England and the
United States have one satisfaction in consult
ing the careers Of their voluntary industry:
they have never failed to advance the cause of
civilization, social excellence, political equali-
ty and justice.
What better umpire, then, is there to decide
the matters in controversy? They will not
disagree-they have never disagreed. Are
they ambitious, mercenary or rapacious? Are
they cruel or tyrannicaE The answer to these
questions is to be found in consulting the
Anglo-American population Of this continent.
Are they disorderly? They have made the
United States first rate Power, without DO.
lice, an army or navy. Are they careless Of
the rights and the interests of humanity? They
] have carried education, Christian instruction