The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-03-05
CLAYToN-BULwER TREATY.
Speech of Hon. Solomon Foot, of
Vermont.
In THE SENATE, ftJruary 5, 1856,

| On the motion to refer TO the Committee on
Foreign Relations the letter of Lord John
| Russell, which was communicated by the
President in answer to a luton of the
Senate.
Mr.. FOOT. Mr.. President, I have
read with some care. and with much in
terest. the diplomatic correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Buchanan and Lord Claren-
don. upon the points in dispute between
| the two Governments with respect to the
construction of the convention of April
! 10. 1850. with Great Britain, popularity
called the Ciayton-Bulwer treaty. |
have listened with much sqti,fact on and
with equal instruction. to the debates up
on this subject as they have been thus
far conducted by the learned aud able
Senator'S from Michigan and New York
Mcssrs. CAss and SEWARD have
also examined with some atten tion, in
this connection, the treaty itself and |
will say in the outset, that so clear and
explicit is the language Of that treaty,
that ii would hardly seem to be suscep.
tible of a serious doubt as to its true con-
struction and import. Having in view
the objects and purposes Of the treaty.
and the position of the two Governments
at the time. it would really seem to ad-
nit of but one Interpretation but if
doubt rested upon the mind Of any one
before on that point, think that doubt
must be entirely removed after reading
the correspondence that has been laid
before ns.
Mr. President. am not among the
admirers of Mr. Buchanan. | have no
personal or political predictions in his
favor. On the contrary, all the prejpdi
ccs Of my life-if you may be pleased to
call them so--are against him. Bnt ]
express only the convictions of my iu1s.
mont when | say that his argument in
favor of the American construction If
this treaty may be truly characterized
as one of the conslDmate ability. | con.
cur with the honorable Senator from
Michigan in saying that it is clear, full,
and conclusive and though an attempt
has been made a, an answer, it yet re.
mains unanswered only b,c1use it is un-
answerable H. has successfully met
Lord Clarendon's argument at every
point, and completely refuted it. and
thrown it to the winds. No point has
been left uncleared of doubt, and no
sophism of the noble lord unexposed
The argument is not only most able
and mastery one, but, as it seems to me.
it completely exhausts the subject, and
leaves little or nothing more to be said
in vindicatiou Of the American coustruc-
tion.
am unable to conceive that any A.
nerican citizen can rise from a careful
examination Of this correspondence with
out clear conviction-a satisfactory as.
sUranc', that his own Government is al
together in the right. and the British
Government altogether in the wrong. up.
on the questions in controversy nor iu-
deed, wit; ou' n I'M n of conscious
pride tLat the r ghts and the honor of his
ownG Govc;nmrnt have been so clearly and
trumphantly sustained by the American
Minister against the assumptions, not to
say the sophstrics.of the British Secret
airy of Fore gn Affairs | cannot omit
to add, in this connection, that the in
structions emanating from our State De-
partmcnt to the Minister at ST. James
upon this subject, are marked with an
equal measure of our commentator.
1t is not how. Mr. President, a quqs-
tion with us-it has, indeed, never been
"A question with us-as to what is the
true construction and meaning of this
treaty, so far forth, at any rate, as it
pertains to the obligations If the British
Government to withdraw any colony or
settlement, or actual occupancy she then
had, or now HAS. from all and from every
part of Central America comprising the
Republics Of Guatemala, Honduras,
San Salvador. Nicaragua, and Costa Ri
ca or so far forth as it pertains to her
obligation not to exercise any dominion
whatever over any portion Of that terri
tory. The language of the treaty, TO
this extent, at any rate, seems to be ton
clear aud too plain to be misiuterpreted
or to be misunderstood. This question
is no longer dcbatable one among our
selves | apprehend that the mere ques.
tion of the construction Of the treaty is
no longer to be considered as an open
one between us aud the British Govern.
ment If | apprchend Alright the views
and the purposes of our own executive
Government, all discussion upon the
construction of the treary-and the rcla-
tive rightS and obligations Of the par
ties under it's now to be regarded as
finally and forever closed All that re-
mains, then, for the American Govern.
ment now, is to urge and to Insist that
her Majesty's Government shall duly
observe and keep all the obligations to
which her faith and honor are plshted
by this treaty
And | hardly need TO say, sir that the
due observance of these obligations Of
the treaty requires other Majes,y's Gov
erument the immediate surrender of any
actual occupancy, or the exercise Of any
dominion, she may have upon the Mos
quito coast, which she is now claiming
the right to hold, and is now exercising
under the preteXt or by virtue of hold.
ing some SORT os indefnable protectorate
over its people, 1t also requires of her
the dsconlinuance Of whatever settle
ments or occupancy she may have in that
section Of the country lying between the
Slboon aud the Sarsioon rivers, aud