Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-02-22

or protectorate. be tolerated to de-
prive the United States Of continental
rights guaranteed to them by treaties
with the Central American States
But 1t would be consenting to the
practice Of fraud against them and
ourselves to tolerate such efforts, after
the treaties of 1888. 1880. and 1850.
Itremains now to speak Of the Col
ony Of the Bay Islands. In Central
America, not in British Honduras, in
| the Caribbean sea, about 35 miles
from the port Of Truxillo. in the State
of Honduras. and 400 miles distant
from the Belize. lies the island Of Ru-
atan, spacious, fertile, beautiful, and
easily susceptible Of defence. Near to
it are the relatively smaller. but yet
considerable. islands Of Bonacca, Utilla
Barbaret. Helene and and Moerat.
The islands Of Ruatan and Bonacca
are said by British geographer to
be. by reason Of their fine harbors,
good soils, fine air and abundant ami
mails, as well as their commanding
ground, proverbialIy known In that
part Of the world as the garden ofthe
West Indies, the Key TO Spanish
America. and new Gibraltar. On
the 17th of July. 1850. thirteen days
after the conclusion OF the treaty OF
1850, a proclamation was issued by
the British Government. constituting
the islands before named colony,
under the name Of the Colony OF the
Bay Islands. M
The United States insist that Great
Britain shall discontinue fhis new col
ony. Great Britain refuses. and al.
legcs that the colony Is within the
Balixe settlement. or British Hondu-
ras, and SO is excepted from the trea.
| ty. On the contrary, the Islands
which are excepted are described In
the exception as small Islands In the
neighborbood Of the Balize. Not on
| ly are there such small Islands In that
place, but they are expressly described
and assigned to the Balize. in the trea-
ty OF 1895, while the Bay Islands are
neither small Islands nor are they sit.
uated In tho neighborhood Of the Bal
ize, but, on the contrary, they are
Islands Of considerable magnitude and
o. historic Importance. The treaty ol
1895 assigns them 10 the "Spanish
Contincnt,b and expressly excludes
Great Britain from them. Great Brit
MD shows no pretenco Of title, or even
Of continued occupancy OF them.--
Spain help them until the revolution
In Central America. Tho state ol
Honduras assumed possession. and
placed flag on Ruatan, in 1920
Great Britain caused that flag TO be
supplanted by her own In 1890; bul
this was Immediately after lowered,
aad the flag Of Honduras was restor-
cd TO It's place. II Is unimportant "a
follow this petty contention farther
Whatever pretensions Great Britain
may have ever before made 10 the
Bay Islands. they we're all solemnly
and forever relidquishcd and abandon
cd by her in tho Treaty Of 1850.
have thus reached the conclusion
that the American positions are juss.
and the American demands are right.
The flnal question Is practical one
what ought tho United States now "a
do 2
can now only glance At some Of
tho circumstances which affect the
question. regret that In any case u
involves possibility Of war. AL
] though believe war sometimes justi.
fable, l regard II always. nevertheless
as a calamity and On evil. l do not
agree with either those who suppose II
contributes TO national prosperity. OF
those who regard Il as salutary dis
cIpline OF States. Ishould. therefore,
deeply doplore any war with any ma
tion, and more than any other, n wal
with Great Britain. That Power nc
longer arms alone. It's wealth and
influence easily secures allies. NoI
In such n contest should we be unaided
The adjacent American States, nj least
would cooperate with us. II would,
therefore. be general war. and. con-
sequontly, moro extensively injurious
and widely dcmoralizing than any 9TH
or In which we could be engaged. II
would, moreover, renew and pracii-
cally pcrpctrate an alienation between
two fraternal States, on whose COM
mon guidance [ only secured through
their concord) the advancing nations
largely depend.
deprecate n war. moreover, be-
cause Il can be avoided. unless there
shall be fault on both sides. OF on one
side; and, therefore, In one sense Il
would be an unnecessary conflict
Notwithstanding the occasional occur
renee OF mIsapprehenalons and irrlta'
tions, the world Is yet wide enough foi
both nations. and for oil nations. We
arc the centre Of one syslem--an
i American one; Great Britain Is the
centre OF anoihor-nn European one
Almost In spite Of ourselves. We are
steadily extending and increasing oul
control over these continents, Not
withstanding her tenacity, she Is con.
stanly losing her dominion here. This
| Il within the order Of nature. II was
for three hundred years the business
OF European nations 10 colonIze, dis
cipline. and educate American nations,
II Il now the business OF those nations
10 govern themselves. The decline
Of European power here practically
began with the fall Of Canada out OF
tho control Of France. In 1893. II
has steadily continued until now only
some relies, possessing little Vitality,
remain. Without any war on our
part, Great Britain viii wisely with
draw and disapper from this hemis.
phere within quarter Of century
at least, within half century. War
might hasten. but might also delay H.
regret. also, that a war, II II must
como. must also probably concur with
the great conflict that now eonynlses
| E.xc.. uska Hr.t,at al