New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-01
MP sEwARD'S SPEECH.


FOURTH BALLOT.
Nicholson. Tucker..-...
Scattering -----.-----io
MR. sEwARD'S SPEECH.
Mr.. SEWARD then addressed the Senate on CentrM
American affairs. He said:
Mr.. PREsIDEsT: l desire TO concentrate the atten-
ton Of the Senate and Of the country upon the Central
American question; therefore pass over the contro-
versy about Mr. Champions violation Of our neutrality
laws, as do the general topic Of the Monroe
Doctrine, both of which subjects have been elabo-
rately discussed by the Senator from Michigan
The President of the United States has caused our
case to be fully and ably presented, and Great Britain
has explicitly refused to comply with our demands
II belongs to Congress to determine the course
which the country shall pursue. IL is necessary, there
fore To review our position. IL It Is right, we cannot
recede without dishonor, never to be incurred II
ia wrong We cannot recede too soon. III we shall nos
recede we may involve our country in no common war
an evil to be avoided if possible, consistently with
duty | shall therefore, take care not to say, con-
scsgslv ANYTHING that might tend TO nfiame our own
country to eIasperae Great Britain. Ii Is no ques-
tion of perous or of parties, is It even domestic
question Therefore shall refrain now, as did wheni
spake TO Il before from bringing any personal or pa,ti-
san or domestic subject into the debate, no matter
who shall invite who shall provoke to such acourse
Speaking geographically, Central America Is situated
ON the s,lmus which untes the two continents Of North
America ard South America, aud extends from the
southern border of Mexico TO the northern boundary OF
New-Granada; and II spreads from that pan OF tho
Atlantic Ocean which is called the Caribbean Sea, 10
the shore of the Pacific Ocean, Speaking politically,
Central America is constituted by the independent
States of Guatemala, San Salvador, Honduras, Near
aqua and Costa Rica. These States exclude the Ba-
hze or British Honduras, and include the Mosquito
Coast. Central America was discovered by Columbus,
in the service of Spain and according to the law Of
that age became part of the dominion of that king
dom; the Pope having, by previous concortat,
awarded Portugal all the regions she should discover
in going eastward from the Azores, and to Spain all
she should discover in going westward from that point,
without knowing that the two parties pursuing their
opposite courses ultimately to meet and conflict
This portion of the stbmus was conquered and colo
missed and occupied by Spain IN l525, and became, al
ter time, the Kingdom or Nce-Royaty of Gnate-
maa. This Vice Royalty, or Province, threw OF the
Spanish authority and became independent federal
republic in 1923, under the name OF the Republic OF
Central America. In 1889, the i've States which
have already named and which constituted the rpub-
lie dissolved their political union, and each assumed
absolute independence. They have an aggregate
population Of about two milons-one-twelfth whites,
four-twefths mixed, and the residue Indians.
The acquisition of California by the United States
in ls4s the disclosure of its immense mineral wealth,
and the consequent political organization and social
development OF that State, preeiprated on them ana
on the world the solution of that great problem OF
communication the lsthmus, between the two
oceans which had been studied without practical result
three Hundred and fifty years Such passage, while
il would be beneficial to all nations was indispensable
10 the United States because California practical
" inaccessible from the Atlantic States for the pur
pose of commerce aud defense. The United States
had sympathzed with the Spanish American States in
commercial treaties. In 1923, the President, Mr..
Monroe after grave consideration had announced 70
the word, Us postulatc, that
diton which they assumed maintained henceorth
be considered subject. for future colonization by any
But the United States had, nevertheless, always
declined although often urgently invited aud in
voked interfere in the political affairs Of those States
Three prominent routes for nter-oceanic passages
| were discussed: by the way of Tehuantepec In
| Mexico one by the way of San Juan and Lake Mica
ragua understood to be within the State OF Nicaragua
and one by the way of Chagres, in New-Granada-
The citizens Government United States
applied themselves TO obtain the opening Of al these
passages. On the l4h of March, le49, the State OF
Nicaragua entered into contract with citizens of the
| United States, granting them an exclusive right 70
construct canal railway, nom ocean to ocean,
through the River San Juan and the Lake Nicaragua
On the 2lst of June ls49 Nicaragua rendered 10 the
United States treaty, offering them peculiar and dis
tinguished advantages connected with that undertake
ing. on condition that they should guarantee the
ereignty of that State On the 10th of September,
1649, the contract between Nicaragua and American
citizens was revised and renewed and new treaty
offered by that State to the United States, by
which it was proposed that the passage should be
open equal terms, to all States and nations who
should enter into the necessary stipuatons for its
safety and preservation. The United States hesi-
tated, and RETAINED from accepting either treaty.
The subject was embarrassed by the presence and
intervention of Great Britain in Central America.
While Spain retained her dominion on these CONT
nents aud the adjacent islands, she jealousy ex-
Guided foreign powers from commerce with her
colonies. contraband trade consequently grew
up between them and the British colonies in this
hemisphere. The British Government connived
at that illicit commerce. Wars ensued. At
the close of these in 1883, Great Britain
lad a settlement, known the Baize, or British
Honduras, situated in the Department or Intendancy
of Yucatan; and also possession or occupancy ON
the Mosquito Coast, forming part Of the shore
of the Caribbean Sea. The extent and the titles Of
both these possessions vebementy disputed by
the Central American States. On the 10th Of Septem-
ber ls47 the Britsh agent announced TO the STAKES Of
Nicaragua and Honduras the determination Of his
Government to sustain the British Protectorate the
Mosquito Coast, from Cape Honduras 10 and including
the lower part Of the River San JUAN Ok Doc rs,
PIP. a, vol X, LIST Sess, 3lst Cong On the 9Th Of
dalupe Hidalgo which transferred California to the
United States signed two British ships entered
San JUAN and expelled the State Of Nicaragua there
from; and four days afterward the same force was
used in taking the port of Serapagui, the lower
branch or part Of the River San Juan. Nicaragua
succumbed but protested the 18th Of March, l8<s.
On the 18th of October, le49, British man-of-wsr
captured Tgre Island of the Pacific coast, but be-
longing to Nicaragua At the time Great
Britain had sometimes disputed with Honduras for The
Island of Ruatan which capable, by being forth
fed at small expense, of commanding every possible
passage between the two oceans, through Central
America. Costa Rca disputiDg with Nicaragua tho
boundary ofthe San Juan understood TO favor Great
Britain; Honduras CautIDaal and Nicaragua invoked
the aid of the United States in resisting hcr aggressons
II was under these circumstances that the treaty OF
1870. called sometimes the Clayton and Rulwer
I,eatv or the Central American Treaty, was nego-
ted and concluded Practically the negotiation be-
gan in an interview held at London on the 24th of
September le49, between Lord Palmerston, Prime
Minister of Great Britain, and Mr. Rives, American
Minister to France, then on his way to the French
Court Mr. Riyes stated that
"The Bniish Consul New Yo had publicly claimed or tho
Mosquito Indians and Ownership the mouth