The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-31
[NO. l8l


ina l81 DEPARTMENT STATE,
$50 Washington, May "a, 1856
SIM am directed BY the President to address you on
The subject the difference of opinion between the Brsh
Government and that of the United States regarding the
Construction effect of the convention OF April 10 ieo
and the subject Of Central America generally and 10 sae
you the views which the Presden. enter =,
question as it stands in order that you may comu
ncate the to the Earl Of Clarendon her Bruatho
Maestys Principal Secretary Of State for Foreign Aas
You that there has been no direct commune
tion between the two governments on the MAN suoo
since the letter Of your predecessor Mr. Buchanan - Wy
Earl of Clarendon, dated September IL 1892 DIS
reply of the 2sh of the September ana oiie ieJ
der by Mr. Buchanan on the Ah OF the following OCTOBER
In his letter of the 18th OF September MT. DncnusaH
briefly recapulatng the conclusions az whch tio a
had arrived the whole case and when hau peeh iuy
explained tho British government IN MS previous W.
spa,ches reminded Lord Clarendon that more than year
had already elapsed without any new step peng taken ny
tbe United States In the discussion from unwingness to
press the subject while the attention OF her Maesys gov
ernment engrossed by the war with RUSSIA ana nc
proceeded To say the President had directed hn pc
fore retiring his MISSION he was then ABOUT 70 40
10 request from the British government statement q e
positions which had determined to maintain more epe
caly In regard to the Bay Islands the be4e seteeH'
To this communication the Earl Of Clarendon replied
stating as the final opinion of her Maestys government
that the convention OF April 10, 1850 was merely pro-
sp1cve in its operation and did not IN any way interfere
with the state of things existing at the TIME OF ITS cpnciu
sion He repeats this idea afterwards IN other forms OF
expression saying in place. that the British govern
men consider that the design OF the contracting parties
was to disturb any state Of things then existing ana
in another place. that while the British government nave
no wish to extend the limits of their possessions or the
sphere Of their influence in Central America they are
not prepared coptract either the the other in
pursuance of the interpretation of convention TO Whch
Interpretation they cannot Subscribe.
Here with exception Of the brief note from Mr. Bu-
chanaa 70 Lord Clarendon OF the At OF uctaber 1892
and that upon single point only the coriesponaeAce
touching the general question has remained suspnaea
1t will thus be perceived that in his closing despatch
the Earl of Clarendon desists from all further discussion
az The main objects Of controversy which had previously
occupied The attention Of the two governments and rests
the case npoa The single position then at length definitely
assumed and expressly announced, of particular bypotl
esis touching lie construction OF the convention
The President could not but receive this
with equal surprise AID regret ha would indeed naye
termination of all correspondence on the subject pet~
the governments and as imposing on ms government
the painful duty of solemny declaring that ne
for the following expressions IN the Earl OF
despatch
President the United States that the interests OF the two
countries and their mutual desire to maintain existing
friendly relations will alike inspire each party with con-
ciaory spirit and enable them to overcome all obstacles
satisfactory nd jusnent of Central American questions
The British government why it SHOULD De
otherwise
This language on the part of her Maiestys Principal Sec
rotary for Foreign Affairs did have the effect Of preventing
the President from Diminishing all hope OF amcable ad-
ustment of the serious misunderstanding which had grown
up between the two governments He would have been
better satisfied if expressing the conviction that all OBJ
stacles satisfactory adjustment Of the controversy
might with conciliatory spirit both sides be overcome
his ordshp had been pleased indicate the which,
in his Judgment calculated produce desirable
consummaton. For want of this the President has been
left conjecture the precise idea OF her Majes govern
lie cannot be certain that bis conjecture concern
ing il is well founded but be is induced by certain col
lateral incidents which have occurred infer that II was
the arbitration by third power of the difference between
the two governments in relation to Central America.
1t appears by the letter of Mr. Buchanan this depart
OF February g. 1856 that recent occasion Lord
hads In he of
iered to refer the whole question to the arbitration OF any
ra power and that the offer had been renewed in con-
sequence of which statement Mr. Buchanan not being aware
that any such offer had been formally made by the British
government had interview with the Earl OF Clarendon
for the purpose Of explanation In that interview Lord
Clarendon stated that the original offer of which he had
spoken in the House OF Lords referred TO expressions he
had used la conversation with Mr. Buchanan, at an earl
stage Of the discussion the subject of Central America
and that what he had said Of repetition of the offer was
in aluson to despatch which he had addressed TO Mr.
Crampton the British minister at Washington and which
Mr. Champion had communicated this department and
he proceeded to the which, that
occasion IL alleged Mr. Champion had received from
In relation 10 this important matter as IL has since been
fully manifested there msconcepton both sides la
the first place, although the note Mr. Champion had
been written as the 10th of November 1855
and in IL Mr. CamptoE had been expressly instructed 10
communicate IL to this department he had neglected 10 do
so, and IL not until late hour Ia the evening Of
February 81 1885, and in consequence Of discussions in
the Senate OF the United States the subject that MIR
Champion executed his instructions In this respect and
made communication of Lord Clarendons note OF the pre-
vious November
In the second place 1t had not been understood either
by Mr. Buchanan his that the suggestions
of arbitration which Lord Clarendon had made in
sat with Mr. Buchanan intended by the former
formal proposition TO that effect the part Of her Ma
stys government II il had been understood the prop
oson would have received at the respectful consider
alton OF the President
1t would be superfuous dwell regret which
the President en,erans that proposition of this nature
which her Maesiys government intended as final one
not presented At the commencement in such shape
to have attracted to and fixed upon 1t the attention
this government
The President has ceased 10 be sincerely socous
preserve unimpared the friendly relations Of the two
counties and in that spirit passing all which there
Is Of apparent inormalty in the offer of the British gov
ernment and assuming the late communication by Mr.
Champion of Lord Carendons Of tho 10th Of No
vember definite proposition, he insruets TO make
the present response to that proposition.
At the very threshold is the question: what Is II which
shall be submitted TO arbitration Lord Clarendon, in
his letter 10 Mr. Champion of the 10th OF November
to that the difference between the two countries is
merely Of the Interpretation Of the convention Of April 10,
1850; but that Is understood by this government
IT. indeed, It should be determined In any way that the
American construction Of that treaty is correc-whch is
that whatever may have been the Of things previous
to its date yet after that neither the United States
Great Britain Is to hold any possessions Central Amer
ica that when the tive agreed that neither
will occupy forify, colombo or ex-
ercise any dominion over Nicaragua Costa ca the Mos
quito coast any part OF Central America the spua-
ton comprehend to the acts enumerated prohibition
of their continuance well MS their initiation, with
out which there could be effective naturalization OF