Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-07-09
X l { III MOND WHIG.



ner functions within the Republic; and onr Government
has still allowed Mr.. Dallas remain in order 70
N"n nun me having for the first time received pow
% hegotiaiionD respecting the affairs OF Central
Ameics right comprehension thoac Affairs and of
~ treaty winch has been made, since President Pierces
secession 10 power the groundwork Tor discussing them
consequently oi interest at this moment Now the af
a- OF central America be divided under two heads
winch exist independent Of the treaty of 1880
hoe winch are CONNECTED with that treaty During the
IA. ." !ca- the English have been established In .liz.
and during the i'af century and halt with sbort in
terregnum or the Mosquito coast A. potsctors of the
no-qmo Indians question arises how far they have
uuhg the last half century beyonJ rights which
the derived from treaties with Spain by which, t,e.,s.
tbey were bound in 1888 and 1856 The ouly un.tte,
however to be solved here, far the United States
are concerned IL whether the Government of that conn
try can without very hostile and eddlnr spirit inter
lere with matters which matters betu il and
Power ~ e'
With regard the treaty of 1850 the cas-. i. d;a-,
:" engagements direct between the two Government
OF Great Britain and the United States and their cop-
Whatever those consequences are, be abid-
eo pt: The hrst questions here inquire are-What
was the use OF the treaty which created these epc,p,
mensI Was IL called fors What were its objects .nd
shouia II be interpreted in reference those objects
its necessity and purpose these AT the moment
"hen was made, Great Britain pledged on one side
70 protect the Mosquito territory lin which was included
te mouth OF the river San Juan) against Nicaragua and
teu states were equally pledged protect and de-
lend the whole OF the river San Juan ncludin that nor
non which ran through the Mosquito territory for Mica
ragua- IL only remained for the American company
"nch han grant from Nicaragua of the navigation OF the
river San Juan commence the operations which i, has
SINCE carried on, and by favor of which American ern
grafton to California has Of late years been taking place
IN order to bring the Governments OF Great Britain
anu the United States into open conflict IL an ur
gent ooect consequently prevent this conflict Anoth
CT oect was TO effect canal communication between the
Two oceans which communication could not lie made nm
les oy an agreement between Great Britain and the Uni
ted States With respect it, construction through the tr
toy claimed 10y the party for Nicaragua by the oter
ior the Mosquitoes.
These two objects effected hy the treaty of 1850
without which would that time have ensued and
an pfobablty OF ship canal been defeated Such we-
ne @ reaos Tor which the treaty in question made
" nat Is the caused Tor the differences which have now
arlse out OF that treaty; The Governments having
agreed upon policy for protecting all communications by
snip canal or railway through the sthmus OF Central Amer
lca wished to agree also a policy for RESTRICTING
themselves in such manner as would prevent either from,
exercising an exclusive influence over that isthmus To
eect TINS 1t was necessary choose form of words
wnch should express how the Governments in oues
uoh were 10 be restricted Ii has been said at various
tunes that Sir Henry Buwer selected the words that were
employed with view OF what our brethren in the United
states call being too sharp" for Mr. Clayton that Mr.
layton had selected them for the aicabe and can
Gd purpose towards Minister and our country The
iacy OF these observations is best shown by pointing out
that the words in question originated either by
ar henry bul~er or by Mr Clayton but selected from
letter addressed by Mr. lawrence some three or four
months before the treaty negotiated to Lord Palmer
sto The reasons for this selection are obvious Lord
Iaw
re3 had used the words in question assert and thus
the gentlemen who were making treaty in Washington
knew that the expression used Tor the purpose of convey
ing the meaning of the two Governments on very doll;
cate question had already been used in London by the
american Minister and had received the assent of the
Briiiih Government
This part OF the affair Of paramount importance be-
cause all parties must admit that the United States Go
veTument in selecting words express particular idea
from an American State paper addressed by their own
lster then resting at the Court OF Jamess to the
fHzh rWsnFNN
meant those words TO convey i'll the treaty the meaning
they had conveyed in the document from which they
were extracted What these words and what sense
did Mr.. Lawrence mean tbtm 70 convey On this hin.
ges the whole dispute Mr.. Lawrence asked Lord Pal
meston If the Government of Great Britain Intended to.
or coonze any portion OF the Mosquito or
oi central America Lord Palmerston replied that
Great Britain did intend occupy or colonize apy
portion ot the Mosquito coast any part Central
America
When one person inquiries of another whether he in
tds to do thing is clear that he does then think
that tha. person has done it, Ii is therefore 10 be pre
sumed simply from the phrase above .oed that Mr. Law
renee at that time did consider that Great Britain had
done any OF those things which he referred when h
the British Government if infeHdeato TO do them Rn
IA show ce force OF this expression more clearly tits ne
cessary 10 show the that Mr. Lawrence attached
hrsi to the word occupy secondly the term Cen
trail America
Now, the invariabIe given to this word occupv~
when one nation speaks Of territory its own is mil
ary one Thus the allies occupied" France by their ar.
cuPed Tuscany year or two since France "occupies~
Rome at this moment. Mr. Lawrence moreover make.
~ evident that he did the word occupy in this mill
Ary sense Tor III acknowledging Lord Pamerston's COM
muication written in reply his own he thanks him for
declaring that the British Government has DO intention 10
eadbiih military posts the Mosquito coast or any
part OF Central America. Now we had no military most
in Aosquta at the time OF the treaty This explains why
Mr. Lawrence asked whether intended to have them
and the United States Government NAV therefore fairl
ask If we have them. The British Government would ssy
u lu hal a.,
to question, for the right OF protecting the Mosquito i
dams never was abolished by the treaty even auden
TO- ard remains as it stood previous to the treaty.
Bot the most important which explanation i :
required is Central America. When Mr. Lawrence ask
ed Lord Pamerson II the Governments intended 10 occ
py or colonze any part of Central America he knew of
our Possession occupation and colonization Of Belize
He could not therefore have meant comprehend Belize
within the term Central America" The best authority
however on this point is Mr. CLAYTON who stated i'm the
Senate that IL would be reasonable 20 contend that
ioia was in Central America that that the settlement
OF Belize Withn Ccntr al America lie saws and sa,.
Justly the term, the term Central America" has swsys
been considered by the United States merely express
ing the hVe Central American Statcs-Guatamaia Hon.
duas spanshl San salvador Nicaragua and Costa Ric
ANYTHING beyond these is not in Central America where
as British Honduras or the Belize settlement known TO
be IN Mexico and the British Government has actually
treated concerning with Mexico since the separation Of
that State from the mother country
Thus, then, the words Of Mr. Lawrence and the cxpa
nation Of those words by Mr. Clayton both set the ques
hon Of Belize the treaty of 1850 Is Son
cefned Mr. Lawtences words show that he did not deem,
that actual possession Of Belize could be considered
interfering with his question whether weintendd
70 occupy or hold any portion OF Central America and
Me- Caytons words shoN that this was because Belize vas
not in Central America.
The ouly remaining question ia debate relates 20 the
Bay Islands These had not formerly occupied or col
onihcd IN 1850. We have done 80 since. There we're
however prior to 1850. the United States Government
kncW British settlers upon them II these Islands are fair
J within Central America all though might carry on
an argument 10 their being dependencies Of Belize IL
would not perhaps be worth while to do 80 But II
t cannot be shown that any Central American State has
clear and ndisputabc right 10 them, then Great Britain
has the best right
Such is the real Of the Central American question
a. this moment fit s asked what interest We have in
those rights defend and whether is sufficient 10 in
ducc 20 in support Of them IL must frankly be
admitted ths only great interest s the preservation
Of our honour Belize might be given up without serou.
" damaging empire, and the Bay Islands also I'm
protecting the Indians Mosquida We bave no interest
out thai OF setting with fidelity aud humanity aud vnd
eating that national character Of which Ee have boosted In
every treaty have made for suppressing the ,ave trade
Bus honour and character for justice, and tcuacy Of
t just rights constitute the best property of nation
They cannot be resigned without degradation and whether
The loss Of empire the loss Of anything else dcgades
ration, it s matter Of indifference the nation sinks that
u degraded Moreover by constant policy Of couces.
a of