The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-03
THE CENTRAL AMERICAN IMBRoGLIO
WARLIKE ASPECT OF THE QUESTION.
important and Exciting Official Cores
pondence.
Ms Two Constructions Of the Gayton-Bulwer
Treaty.
lotters Of Marcy, Buchanan, Lsrd Claren-
don and Othors,
Nh. MARCY TO MIR. BUCHANAN,
mo. 81
DEPARTMENT or STATE, !
WASHINGTON, July 2, 1858.

1No 81
DEPARTMENT or Stare,
WASHINGTON, July 2, 1858.
JAWS BUCHANAN Esq
Great Britain for long time had possession Of district
Of country the shores OF the Bay OF Honduras called
"The Belize" The right she has to hold it is derived
from grant by spain and this right limited to sin
gle purpose with express prohibition against using it
For any other.
possession restricted to its could be
considered British colony. While she confined herself
10 the boundaries specified in her treaties with
Spain in 1888 and 1876, and uses the district or
country described only for the purposes stipulat-
I'd therein, We have right to complain
that she is infringing policy; but when she extends
her occupancy by encroachments far beyond the pre-
scbed bounds and changes its tenure by exercising
it civil authority very different character given to this
settlemeut-t then becomes colony this conti-
pent.
Since acquisition of California Great Britain has
manifested matured design to change this Spanish
license to cut dyewood and mahogany at the Belize into
British dominion. The object OF such change cannot
be misunderstood will it be disregarded by this gov
ernment The character Of the British settlement at the
Belize is explicitly shown by authority which will not
be conrovered questioned by the government of Great
Britain. This authority other than the Parliament
of the United Kingdom In two acts-one passed in 1917
and the other in 1819t is admitted that the Belize is not
within the British domnons In these acts provision is
made for the punishment of crimes committed at the Be-
ize which otherwise could not be punished by any exist
ing law, because Belize, expressly alleged, not
British dominion. In 1926 Great Britain renewed in her
treaty with Mexico the special grant made to her by
Spain in the treaties Of 1888 and 1885, to enter into and
occupy the Belize upon the terms and with the
restrictions those imposed upon her by Spain
The United States while they concede tnat Great
Britain has right in the Belize, positively deny that
Pr Axh prap ptvnn -
Of the British dominions, aud in maintainiug
the policy referred to they bound to resist any at
The protectorate which Great Britaiu has assumed
over the Mosquito Indians s most papabs infringe
just been made and the authority she is there exercising
nnder pretence Of this protectorate in derogaon Of
States and contrary to the manifest spirit and nte alton
Of the treaty of April 10 $780, with the United States
Ihoueh ostensby the direct object Of the Clayton and
Bulwer treaty to guarantee the free and
Of the sp cana! the Istbmus of Da
ren and 70 secure such use to all nations BY mutual
treaty apulatcs to that effect; there other and
highly important objects sought to be accomplished by
that convention. The stipulation regarded OF all
BY the United States that for discontinung the
her assumed protectorae of the Musquto Indians and
with the removal of all precept wha fever for inerfer-
ing with the territorial arrangements which the Central
American States may wiah to make among the nselves
IT was the intention as it is obviously the import of the
obligation Co cease her interpretations in the affairs Of Cen
tIal America and to connc herself TO the enjoyment
her limited lights in the Belize She has by this treaty
part OF Central America, to exercise any domi
non tn; therein Notwths.sa adng these s.pulatons
and to exercise control large districts of that
country snd important islands in the Bay of Honduras
States.
This jurisdiction not mischievous IN its effects
or lees Objectionable to because 1t ia coyerty ex
pressed (parhy at least) in the name Of miserable
tribe of lnaans who have reality political organi
2aton-no actual goyernment-not even the semblance
OF one except that which created by British authority
and upheld by British power
This anomalous state Of things exceedingly annoying
to the States Of Central America but little SO to
the United States for through the Bay of Honduras
across Of these States Hes of the most desirable
rence Irwin Be REFLECTED did not assume marked
character until sf1r our acquisition Of California.
to Witch have alluded to- Whch the nnoS
mean TO adhere Is exclusively political As relates to
this neither aims ms at nor desires
continent, which it would not willingly see extended to
The Whole world The object % when i hoped you %sy
draw froma control the territories and islands of
Central Amrics and If possible, over the Belize alro
and to abstain from inermeedlng with the political af
irs OF governments and people in that region OF the
world 1his object is the earnestly desired bv the
Uni ed States 1t is apparent that the tendency Of
events iu that quarter Is TO give foothod to British
power there in contravention OF the policy wIch this
goverrment is resolved to sustain.
With your ample knowledge the facts i. is believed
that viii be easy for you to satisfy the government of
political affairs of Central America, founded upon any
domfnsn she fairly claim in any part Thereof aud
that obligation of duty or interest Is imposed upon
her to become volunteer IN the matter. II is true she
has ights have before stated, in the Belize
but when restricted to proper limits no part Of in
Central America. These rights, however, very few
win be perceived by the second and third articles of
treaty between her and pain dated the 18th Of july
1886 Tie second article defines the extent the district
upon which British subjects may for the purposes
specified in the third article which contains express ad
that the Belize the belonged to the crown Of spsin
and in II Great Britain spuates in ambiguous terms
that her subjects who have the right to enter cut
dyev ood and mahogany shah not use this haied tight
.to.s far .tablf in
taton of sugar, coffee other kind Of artce',
any kind fabric manufacture by means Of mills
for cutting wood which hey have permis sion to take
from that district Of county 10 enter into the country
British tight cannot well questioned but this right is
understood to be OF ia'le value and possibly
sI ipr 70 ,ensunee !, eatrey But ber be.
yond t.is right cannot be regarded in any other light
9hsn as encros chments which ought to be abandoned
To sh W that her privilege is thus circumscribed,
nothing more ia necessary than to read the FIRST
article OF The treaty TO which have alluded AS a
laoorered aemp. has been made 10 perver H. the Ian
guage ia too precise and explicit to give plausbiity 10
such eo,t. That arti'le stpuaiss q quote TIE Ian
subjects and tie other colonts who have hitherto
ioyed the protection OF Esgand, shall evacuac the
country of the Mosquitoes, well as the continent in
situated beyond the limo hereinafter described what
ought TO be the frontier or the extent OF country granted
by his Catholic Majesty to the English Tor the spoci
lied in tho third article Of the present convention and in
addition TO the country already granted to them (thc
comni OF the in 11S3.n After read
ing the treaties with Spain Of 1s3 and 1886, 10 which
Great Britain renounces in terms the explicit aud
comprehensive IN the English language, all right to
any territorial possessions in any OF Central America,
AL sovereign rights in behalf Of the Nusquos, and all
claim a protectorale that horde Of savages, 1t
would TO he useless TO beyond those treaties for
facts to explode the prctsnsons she asserts for her
cell In regard TO the protectorate.
Clear both Of these treaties against such preten
.ions il Is nevertheless true that Of her Britonic
Miesy late principal Secretaries OF state for Foreign
Ahrs Lord Palmerson has endeavored to pcrvort and
oy construction to render them meaningless in tho
manner that her present Secctary attempts to render
ineeeyc the treaty with ln nitcd States of the 10th
&f Atr lsoO Ihe boldness Of he attempt with respect
10 the treaty OF 1TSG, and its III s SHOWN by
proceeding III relation thereto in the British Parliament
within one year after it concluded. The record OF
this proceeding Is nos found in the more general
IIepcsitory of Pariiementary. Debates, Hanssrdf