The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-31


that in the name OF the Mosquito Indians Great Britain
may take with military force and hold San Juan de MIC
aragua any other point IN Central America snen PRIV
tension would be SO totally rreconcabe with all idea OF
the independence neutrality OF the sthmus as 20 rehuef
the convention than nngatory 10 the United States
Instead Of submitting 10 arbitration preenson inyoNlng
such consequences in amy other way conserving 10
store effect 10 the treaty with such possible construction IL
would in the Judgment of the President be his duty 10 pro-
pose its annulmen TO release the United States o
obligations not attended by any benefits and which ool-
cations thus unattended the United States did not inte
onally occur they having entered into the treaty only
upon the supposuon that absolute reciprocity OF resrc
ton was incurred by Great Britain
repeat If the treaty could by any possibility whatever
have the construction of leaving Great Britain IN the pos
session or military control Of the Atlantic coast oil Cen
trail America in the of the Mosquito Indians, ana
with powers 10 colonze nsuar positions commanding ~
on the ground Of their having been spontaneously oecu
pied by British subjects while the United States
strained from all such rights OF control OF acquton tn
in the estimation of the President would be 10 deprive the
treaty of moral force both because II would thus cease 70
reciprocal effect and because the United States ana
not intentionally enter into any such engagement anu
such were possible construction OF the letter OF the Urea
AZ il would be incumbent the President 10 consider
whether would not then become the duty OF the oned
States seek for the most honorable means OF being AIS
charged from such obligations and render themselves per-
cty free TO reestabish their proper relation an Amer-
can power the transit routes of the American ishmus
and the general independence OF America
In fine the President cannot consent any act which
implies the existence Of possible doubt this point The
convention of 1850 construed in the above supposed
would he the treaty into which the United States en-
tered Nor he do anything which could be taken to
admit either directly implicitly that there is question
his mind relative the true construction OF That con-
venon And he feels bound to take that in enter
tanning the present proposition of arbitration he shall not
be understood actuated by the slightest feeling OF dis
trust regarding the treaty rights of the United States
But the President is not prepared to say that some OF
the questions Of fact concerning which the two govern
mens differ may not be conveniently determined by arDi-
traton or by analogous method.
OF this class of objects of inquiry is the question: what
are the rightfu limits Of the establishment at the Belize
the side of the State oonduras the question whether
the Bay Islands do not belong to that republic and the
question what extent of country is embraced in the term
Mosquito coast s IN tho actual occupancy 81 the MOS
quito Indians considered as Indians and with such terri
toal rights only that description OF persons are en-
titled to claim according to the established public law OF
Great Britain of the United States and of Spain or OF
the independent States which have succeeded Spain in
America remembering that no power exists on the part
of Great britain and the United States dispose of the
sovereign rights OF Nicaragua or any other state OF Cen
trail America
All these questions Of political geography regard in the
first instance the sovereignty and jurisdiction OF the indie
pendent States Of Central America Great Britain and the
United States have preenson thus to intervene except
for the purpose of defining their own mutual obligations
arising of the they have contracted IN
der to assure far they concerned the neutrality
and the independence of the American sthmns Regarded
only collateral considerations affecting the construction
the treaty between the United States and Great Britain
they questions which, if not determnabe by agreement
the themselves the President would
not decline to refer to arbitration.
He is of many practical obstacles to the adjust
meat of any international difference of this nature by arb
traon Of which difficulties both Great Britain and the
United States had experience in their attempt TO settle BY
such means previous controversy the subject OF the
boundary between the United States and the British prov
nces in North America.
The President does doubt that any Of the powers
of Europe which should undertake the task OF
such in arbitration proposed would perform the
duty with perfect impariay but te apply to any power
do this would be to ask of ii which, If granted by
it, would add its domestic duties and abors the
burden of settling complicated differences of other
ments He would greatly prefer that in controversy
like the present turning points OF political geography,
the matter should be referred to more OF those
eminent men OF science who do honor to the intellect OF
Europe and America and who with previous consent Of
their respective governments might well undertake the
task of determining such question: TO the acceptance as
well Of her Maesys government OF the United States
You are instructed therefore, TO enter into communica-
ton with her Majesys Principal Secretary for Foreign
Affairs in relation Central America n order TO aseer-
tain in the first place whether existing differences cannot
be promptly terminated by direct negotiation and they
cannot then 70 discuss the conditions OF arbitration OF
those points Of difference which alone this method OF
settlement seems requisite applicable IL being assumed
that the other points Of difference would after that yield
as OF course 10 conference between the Earl Of Clarendon
and yourself conducted in the spirit OF cordially and
frankness which belongs 10 your personal relations and
which dictated by the true interests both OF the United
States and Of Great Britain.
am sir your obedient servant
W. L. MARCY.
GroReR NJ. DALLAS Esq, &c, &c, &c.