The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-14
rHE RAY ISLANDS

Il
the opinion expressed or three days since that
whatever the British government may do or say in regard
to the enlistment question, prepared be contentious
on the subject Of Central America.
We invite attention to the following article
From the London Spectator Of April 10
| THE RUArAS wARRASreAt last we have the Queens
for erecting the island of Ruaan and certain other
islands in the bay Of Honduras into colony under the
name Of "Bay slaads II document OF peculiar inter-
eat at present The dscloses the existence
Of constitution simple in its provisions The whole is
comprised ia four folio pages and In tweu-eght para
graphs or clauses with preamble The powers Of gov
eminent are Entrusted to the governor Of jamaica who is
constituted governor Of the Day Islands colony and
horzed TO act as sovereign without any further nsruc-
tons from England, in the making OF laws for the colony
and framing the financial estimates to ALLEVIATE the royal
lands TO private persons present qualified persons for
ordination by the bishop Of Jamaica TO oficaie in
churches chapels any other ecclesiastical benefces
constitute and appoint judges and officers Of JUSTICE to
suspend officers commissioned by the Grown ITSELF 10
pardon oiieuders TO give warrant for the custody Of
idiots lunatcs and their estates and to delegate bis
thority TO lieutenant governor IL will be that the
power of the governor of the Bay Islands colony exceeds
that OF many governors OF much more important settle
ments.
lie is indeed, to do of these things "by and with
the advice" of the general assembly the major part
hereofi and this general assembly is peculiarly consti
uted II is to consist OF twelve members, of whom three
shall retire annually They 10 be chosen by electors
OF certain qualifications which 10 be specified in fur
her patent orders Ia council or instructions through
enemenis herediaments in the colony and they shall
be able to read and write English IL is evident from the
terms of this statement that the constituencies not
peeted to be purely English by birth The mode OF voting
at elections peculiar: Every elecor qualified as afore
said shall be entitled to give three votes and shall be
tlei at his discretion to give such three votes to three
separate candidates. 10 give two OF such votes all OF
Them TO candidate This provides for full represent
alton OF respectable minority in the colony The general
assembly is empowered TO vote the estimates introduced BY
the Executive; and the governor retains negative voice
IN the making OF laws with the further restraint that
the laws statutes and ordinances not to he repugnan
but nearly may be- agreeable to the laws and stat
ues Of the Uaited Kingdom Of Great Britain and Ireland
This is peculiar constitution discovered to be already
sng in the British empire and it not less peculiar that
we discover its existence four years after its birth
Il The warrant however is principally interesting at the
present time for its bearing the Clay tonBulwer treaty
We pickering with the United States of America about
our tenure in that quarter When Sir Henry Bulwer and
Mr.. Clayton behalf Of Great Britain and the United
States arranged their weknown convention, Sir Henry
stipulated that the settlement of Belize should be exempt
ed from the operation of the treaty We had also
cised protecorate over the Mosquito lndiansa tribe OF
territory well defined The Belize territory had been
extended under treaty with SPAIN raying encroach-
ment made by British subjects from the Siboon river
which originally its southern limit to the Sarstoon
In thus excepting the Belize settlement it does appear
probable that Sir Henry Bulwer intended except all the
territory then claimed by Great Britain the right OF
suherance and custom The purpose of the ebay
ton convention was jointly, "to facilitate and protect the
construction OF ship canal between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans" The first article of the treaty contains
these words: ~-a rs y... ..M.#
" The governments of the United States and Grea,
Britain hereby declare that neither the the other
will obtain maintain for ITSELF any exclusive
troll the said ship-canal agreeing that neither will
erect maintain any Notifications commanding the
same in the vicinity thereof occupy fortiy colo
nze assume exercise any dominion Nicaragua
Costa Rica the Mosquito coast any part of Contra
Americas will either make use OF any protection
which either affords may afford, any alliance which
either has may have with any State people fol
the purpose OF erecting maintaining any such orthc
TONS Of occupying iortfying colonizng Nicaragua
Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast any part of Contra
America, Of assuming exercising dominion thu
same"
4 This convention concluded the 10th April 1850
the ratcatons exchanged the 4th of July 1850
By the title of the warrant which has been returned
to the House OF Commons the Islands of Ruein, &c
described as "ying in the Bay of Honduras The pream
BILE to the warrant and its first two clauses thus
Il Whereas IL has been represented unto us that the
islands OF Ruaan Bonacca Utlla Helene Barbarat and
Moxat in tue Bay of Honduras Inhabited by divers
subjects of crown who rapidly increasing in
bers and have therefore, deemed Il expeden to make
provision for the government Of the settlement settle
men already formed and to be formed in these islands
/ a. Now know ye that We OF especial grace,
tain knowledge and notion have thought fit to
erect and do hereby erect the said islands of Ruaan
nacca Utlla Helene, Barbarat and AoIa and their de-
pendences into colony and tho hereby erected
into a colony accordingly.
a. And do hereby declare that the said islands shall
be known and designated the colony Of the Bay Islands
The date OF this warrant Is; "Given at our Court al
Buckingham Palace this Goth day of March, 1884, in the
eleventh year OF reign" Here is colony erected al
most two years after the Clayton convention here
Islands in the Bay Of Honduras formed into "a settle
men" The warrant and the proceedings which il sane
tons and reports certainly appear be Incompatible with
the obligations incurred under the convention The British
ministers IL Ia sad have offered 10 refer the construction
Of the treaty TO arbitration the American reply is tina
the purport Of the English language is too plain Il
need arbitration. Mr. Clayton has already given th
Interpretation OF the text Of which he part author
the other author Sir Henry Buwer and IL would b,
very interesting to know whether he used the words which
we have quoted above 10 any special sense
There may be, independently Of technical rights
why we persoyerc in the protection Of subjects thu
island OF Ruatan aud its small nephbors or Ia our pro
from Lord Palmerson TO be stated in the letter which
Lord Clarendon Is write for the United States govern
men after his return to England IL would have been
yenent IL they bad been effectively stated early stag
in the dispute but they will be awaited with inter
est now, since, If the convincing II lie possible
that the Americans may waive their technical right in
sderaton OF the merits OF the question IL is upon
substantial merits indeed that the question must eventu
ally rest; and II IL pity that We escape from dis
pue TO the terms Of the treaty to something like pla
understanding upon the points about which the official
on both sides are disputing.
II is manifest that Ike this executed four year
ago. and concealed from public notice all that time am
now first published in ertso thus makes its appearance
at such opportune moment in spirit Of bravado to
wards the United States. ......r......
Il The preamble Of the is not more rernarkabl
than the warrant itself 1t in the following words
where's has been represented unto us that the Island
OF Ruatan, Bonacca, Udlla, Helene Bsrbarat and Mora
the Bay Of Honduras inhabited BY divers subjects Of GU
crown who rapidly increasing numbers and we
therefore, deemed II expeden to make provision the ror
ernment Of the settlement settlements already formed an
10 hn fnN,.a L. 49, a-f.~N