Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-01-09
CENTRAL AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

companying the Presidents Message, filing twenty:
two columns of the Washington Union. These pa
pers date from July, 1853, to October, 1856, and
consist first of Mr.. Marcys instructions to Mr. Bu-
chanan, the American Minister at London-next,
Mr.. Buchanans dispatch or letter to Mr.. Marcy, of
date January 10, 1S54-then the statement by Mr..
Buchanan to the Earl of Clarendon setting forth the
history of the claim of Great Britain to certain rights
in Central America showing the nature Of these
rights, and showing also that by the Clayton and
Bulwer treaty of $780, Great Britain had agreed,
with the United States not to colonze any portion
of the country referred exercise dominion over
it-then Mr.. Marcy to Mr.. Buchanan, renewing for
mer Instructions and declaring that this government
can never yield to the pretension set up by Great
Britain that the treaty referred to only prospec-
tive in its operation; and Mr.. Marcy says in closing
his letter, ''you have command of facts enough to
drive her from this position unless there is Letter
minaton to hold it against the clearest evidence and
tic strongest arguments next we have brief let
tiers from Mr. Buchanan to Mr.. Marcy, stating that
he had forborne to press the matter OH the English
government for some time past, owing to its being
constantly engaged Oh the Russian business
then Mr.. Marcy to Mr.. Buchanan, urging his former
yiews-thcn follows note from Mr.. Buchanan to
the Earl of Clarendon presenting again the Amerl-
can construction Of the treaty, AMI calling OIL the
British government to abandon its pretcnsions-ncxt
VIC have the Earis reply, of date Sept 1855, in
which among other things he says, her Majcstys
government adhere to the opinion which they have
uniformly held that the convention of April -,
1850, [the Clayton as,l Bulwcr treaty. was merely
interfere with the state of things existing at the time
Of its conclusion next we have Mr.. Buchanall'S
reply followed by il " statement for Mr. Buchanan"
by the Earl Of Clarendon in which the whole gneS-
ton is discussed, and the correspondence closes
with Mr.. EnclananS reply to the statement of the
Earl of Clarendon just referred to.
The Earl of Clarendon, the British, Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs. in one of his replies to Mr..
Buchanan, refers to the Monroe doctrine, and says,
g it can only be viewed the tic:um of the diStn-
guiShcd parsonage who delivered it but her Majcs
tvs =ovcru,ren, cannot admit that doctrine an
int. national axiom which ought to rrgi'a,c the con-
duet Of European States" To this Mr. buchanan
answers .hat but for the treaty of 1850, the United
States might have intcrfsrcd to arrest Great Britain
in her designs on Nicaragua, and that Lord Clarcn-
is not correct in surprising that this doctrine
is hu, the ,nc,e ';licum' Of it's distinguished au-
thor" ''True," he continues, 1T has never been
formally sanctioned by Congress; but when first
announced than thirty years aga, it was hailed
with enthusiastic appreciation by the American poo
pie and since that period different Presidents of the
United States have repeated it in their messages to
Congress, ami always with unmistakabc indications
of public approhation.'
Great Britain has for long period had possession
of district of country the shores of the Bay of
Honduras, called the Balize." Her right tc hold
it is derived from grant by Spain, "to enter it to
cat dye-wood and mahogany but her rights are
! limited to th$-thcy stop here. Under this Spanish
graft, Great Britain has been gradually extending
her power and she holds, and asserts her right
to hold large portions of the States of Guatemala
Honduras, and Nicaragua, including the important
islands in the Bay Of Honduras, the u"questionab!c
appendageS" says Mr.. Marcy, of the Central Amer
lean States" Great Britain also, as is we'll known,
claims to be the ally and protector Of miserable
| Indian King who is styled by her King of the
Mosquito country. This Mosquito protec,orate gives
her the most important advantages. especially as
against the United States she woul. have there
ht, unieSS IL DC given DuCiftNitl, ei'-
tire control over the Nicaragua Shipcanal and the
other avenues OF communication between the two
oceans" But, by the Clayton and Bulwcr treaty Of
lS50-one Of the Objects of which, as set forth, was
to declare the "views and intentions" Of the two
governments with reference to any means of com-
mun;ca,ion by shipcanal which may be constructed
b tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans 1t was
expressly agreed upon by the two governments that
neither would occupy, or fortify, or colonzc, or
assume exercise any dominion over Nicaragua,
Costa RIGA, the Mosquito Coast, or any part OF Cen
trail America ;" and from abundant caut;on,' says
| Mr. Buchanan " in view of the Mosquito protector
ate the article proceeds as follows: "Nor will ell
tIcr make Of any protection which either affords,
| or may affor or any alliance which either has, or
! may have, to OF with any State Or people for the
purpose Of occupying, fortifying, 'r coonizng Nj
carasua Costa Rca the Mosquito Coast, any part
| of Central America, or of assuming or exercising
dominion over the same" Great Britain as we have
stated contends that these provisions prospcc-
tive and that she is thereby reguir ID to aban-
don such possessions dominion :he enjoyed at
the time the treaty was concluded and she is also
unwilling abandon entirely her claims to the Mes
quito country. And herein, says President Pierce
in his late Message, "Me too governments differ
midely and irreconciiea6ly AS is abundantly
| shown by the correspondence between Mr.. Buch-
anan and the English Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
The reader will find the whole matter succnctly and
clearly presented in the Message Of the President.
The debate in the Senate, which we noticed in our
last, shows that the views of the President will Lc
sustained by that body, as We doubt not they will
be ~ large majority Of the American people. Mr..