Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-18
From the Baltimore Sun,
Our Difficulty with EnsIand.--The Central Amer
lean Affair.

Our Difficulty with EngIand.---The Central Amer
Affair.
Since the publication of the Presidents messag
we have laid before the people an interesting ant
rather an uneasy topic of remark in the Contra
American question From the tone of portion O
the press which reaches US, it is apparent that there
are American journalists who can appear for the de-
tense at least for the excuse of England in the
position she has assumed. We do not question tbe
patriotism of those who, in this stage of the affair
frankly take the side of opponent. Ii has no.
arrived at that state when the aXiom tour country
right or wrong" imposes the obligations of domestic
allegiance upon all of against common enemy
irrespective of all other considerations. But the
matter is sufficiently critical to invite the deliberate
investigation cf all who desrous 10 inform them
| selves upon so important subject as an issue with
England must prove.
The convention or treaty, famiary known the
Clay Bulwer treaty." concluded on the 19lh
of April, 1850; ratified by the United States the
22d OF May, 1850; exchanged on the 4th of July,
1850 and proclaimed by President Taylor on July
1850. 1t Processes to be Convention between the
United States and Her Britannia Majesty for facilita-
ting and protecting the construction of ship canal
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and for other
purposes" After the usual paragraph, setting forth
| the purpose of the Conventions the parties thereto,
and the respective plenipotentares acting for the
same, we have the first article, which comprises the
whole question at issue, and it is in these words:
| "The government of the United States and Grea,
Britain hereby declare that neither the one nor the
other will ever obtain or maintain for himself anv
exclusive control the said ship canal; agreeing
that neither will erect maintain any Notifications
commanding the same, or in the vicinity thereof or
occupy, or tortfy, colonise or exercise
any dominion Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mos
quito coast, any part of Central America nor
will either make of any protection which either
affords, or may afford, or any alliance which either
has, or may have, to with any State or people, for
the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such for
hcatlons, or OF occupying, fortltying or coonisng
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any
part OF Central America, or of assuming or exerci-
sing dominion over the same, nor will the United
States Great Britain take advantage of any init
macy, or use any alliance, connection, or influence
that either may possess with any State govern
ment through whose territory the SAID cana may
pass, for the purpose OF acquiring holding, direct
y or indirectly for the citizens subj ecs OF the one,
any nights or advantages in regard 10 commerce or
navigation through the said canal which shall not
be offered on the same terms to the citizens subject
of the other"
The construction of this article by the United
States and England is materially variant The lat
ter has certain rights in the Belize on The shores
OF Honduras, granted by Spain they consist of IL
cenSe to cut certain woods, but expressly prohibit the
exercise of any civil authority. Beyond this Great
Britain has assumed the protectorate over the Mos
quito Indians which is palpable and demons rable
infringement of her treaties with Spain. The gra-
dual encroachments of Great Britain in Central Amer
lea, under pretended rights and especially they
manifested themselves after our acquisition of Cali
fornia induced the United States to press inquiry of
the British Ministry respecting their desi igns, through
Mr.. Lawrence, and this movement utimated in the
treaty of 1850, of which the first ace appears above
long correspondence has ol,owed upon this differ
of construction of the treaty, the closing letters
of which between MIR. Buchanan and Earl Clarendon,
we published the other day And the result at pre-
sent arrived at is seen in that correspondence, and
its peculiar character indicated in the annual message
of the President to Congress published The other day.
The issue seems TO rest upon The real and dplo-
matte significance of acts and words The represen-
tatves of the people of the United States like the
people themselves, are accustomed to plain dealing
and should, in fact consent to nothing else. No
reasonable man, peruslng the above g first article
could possibly arrive at any other construction of it
than that OF our government; but there is to
apprehend that England medtated a different con.
struction in reserve at the time it ratified
The language OF the article particularly expressive
forbids either party to ever fofy coonize, assume
or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua &c. Nor
will either make OF any protection which either
affords or may Afford or any alliance which either
has or may have, for the purpose of occupy
ing, tortltying or colonizing any part of
Central America or of assuming exercising domn-
ion over the same,' &c.
With these words before her, England affects to
understand them prospectively," and 10 retain the
right to do something which the United States does
| not enjoy in common In short she claims to have
possessed DOMINION over a large portion OF Cen
trl America at the time the treaty was fol med,
which she did not relinqush by that treaty. And
further affects 10 disregard the obligation to withdraw
from the &C occupancy of the same. Here it may
be remarked that, prior TO the exchange of ratifca
tion on the 4th of July, the Belize and the small is
lands in the vicinity excepted from the terms Of
the treaty. that Great Britain might continue to oc
cupy; there as she had DONE the matter being re-
ferred to future negotiation. 1t follows then an
neXorabe necessity of the treaty that Great Britain
should cease to occupy or assume exercise domin-
ion all other portions of Central America what
ever influence by her previously assured poecorate
or intimacy she then possessed
In the late correspondence between Mr.. Buchanan
and Earl Clarendon, the latter maintains that the
convention did not in any way affect the then exist
| ing relations of Great Britain in Central America
thus assuming the continued Mosquito Protectorate
and the actual occupancy of con> cradle portion
of the territory. He also denies that the British
construction Of the treaty imposes upon the United
States self-denying obligation which was not equal
~ contracted by Great Britain; and further contends
that if the convention did bear The meaning attached
TO it by the United States it would then have i'm
posed upon Great Britain the obligation TO 1enounce
possessions and rights without any equivalent renun
citation The part of the United States. This diplo-
matte bubble is hardly worth refuation. The fact
is that the convention orgina ed in the objection of
the United States to the pretensonS OF Great Britain
in Central America and it was to put end To them
that it made and exchanged While The United
States actually relinquished their right as an inde
pendent nation to acquire territory in d region on
their continent which may become necessary
for the security of their cOmmnnicat on with their
important and valuable possessions the Pac fc .
And certainly there is not American citizen, who
looks to the future, but will be impressed with doubt
whether we have not surrendered infinitely more val