The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-01-12

and belonging, of right, to that state.
All these acts or pretonSions of Great Brit
ain, being contrary to the rights Of the states
of Central America, and to the manifest ten
or of her stipulations with the United States,
as understood by this government, have been
made the subject Of negotiation through the
American minister in London. I transmit
herewith The instructions to him on the sub
ject, and the correspondence between him
and the British secretary of foreign affairs,
by which you will perceive that the two gov
ernments differ widely and irreconcilably as
to the construction of the convention, and
its effect on their respective relations TO Cen
tral America.
Great Britain so construes the convention,
as to maintain unchanged all her previous
pretensions over the Mosquito coast, and in
different parts of Central America. These
pretensions, as to the Mosquito coast, are
founded on the assumption of political rela-
tion between Great Britain and the remnant
of a tribe Of Indians on that coast, entered
into at time when the whole country was
colonial possession Of Spain. 1t cannot
be successfully controverted, that, by the
public law of Europe and America, no pos
sible act of such Indians or their predeces-
sors could confer on Great Britain any po-
litical rights.
Great Britain does not allege the assent of
Spain as the origin Of her Claims on the
Mosquito coast. She has, on the contrary
by repeated and successive eaties, renoun-
ced and reinquished all pretensons of her
own, and recognized the full and sovereign
! rights of Spain in the most unequivocal
terms Yet these pretensions, so without
solid foundation in the beginning and thus
repeatedly abjured. Were, al recent period,
! revived BY Great Britain against the Central
American states, the legitimate successors to
all the ancient Jurisdiction Of Spain in that
region. They were first applied only to a
! efined part of the coast of Nicaragua, af-
forwards to the whole of its Atlantic coast,
and lastly, TO part of the coast of Costa
1 Rica and they are now reasserted TO this
extent, notwithstanding engagements to the
! United States. ...... ..
! On the eastern coast Of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica, the interference of Great Britain
] though exerted at one time in the form OF
military occupation of the port Of San Juan
), del Norte, then in the peaceful possession oI
the appropriate authorities of the Central
J, American States. is now presented by her as
Z the rightful exercise Of .proteCLorship over
the Mosquito tribe of Indians. r.. ... -.
i But the establishment al the Balize, now
reaching far beyond its treaty limits into the
state of Honduras, and that Of the Bay Isl
ands, appertaining of right to the sa me state
are as distinctly colonial governments al
], those of Jamaica or Canada, and therefor,
contrary to the very letter as well as tht
/ spirit of the convention with the United
; States, as il was at the time Of ratification
| and now is, understood by this government
I The Interpretation which the British gov
t eminent, thus in assertion and act, persist
r in ascribing to the convention, entirely chan
: Iges its character. While it holds us to al
( our obligations it in measure releases Grea
} Britain from those which constituted tn
consideration Of this government for enter
), ing into the convention. 1t is impossible
! iii my Judgment, for the United States It
| acquiesce in such construction Of the re
: ispective relations of the two government
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