Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-05

stood them at that time to mean as embra ling the |
: whole Of the Isthmus. Here Is, in fact al eh-
press acknowledgment, published about seventy
years after the treaty, of an intention 10 oeiraua
in making it. in reference TO this very lsthmus "
as Mr. Fox writes, il should hereafter be deemed
expedient TO do so from prudential considerations
In another letter. written by Mr.. Fox to the |
Duke Of Manchester, few days after this, this ar
tice of the treaty is called the cursed sixth Span
ish article, and soon after this the government
took the ground that Spanish continent" did not
mean American continent !" and 80 they resolved |,
TO violate the treaty and retain possession, as they
now propose to do in defiance Of the treaty OF 1850
with us Then, sir, what followed? In short |
time the Spaniards were told that the words con-
ti,tsnt Espag,toLp did not mean Spanish continent
in America, as they had understood IT. and Great
britain still held the keys of commerce in Central
America and the whole country she occupied du-
ring the treaty. Then necessarily ensued another
quarrel with Spain account OF IL. She was
driven into another treaty, the treaty Of 1886, by
which she agreed, in the strongest language that
man could devise, 10 evacuate the country. There
is rather remarkable article in the treaty IN
which the parties promise TO observe It :" sincerely
and bona fds" SO bis Britannia Majesty made
10 declare that this time he actually meant to keep
his word.
What followed thatg They then abandoned all
their fortfcations withdrew their forces from the
isthmus, and called away their colonsts The min
istry were Immediately afterwards attacked in the
House of Lords by Lord Rawdon and other enc
mics to the then existing administration in Great
Britain, who brought in resolution for vote OF
censure because the administration had, by this
treaty, given up the then Mosquito coast. BY
vote of three to one the ministry were sustained.
IL will be not less instructive and amusing to read
from the Parliamentary Register of that day the
speech of Lord Chancellor Thurlow, delivered in
vindication, of the ministry, in which he demon
strated by recurring to the whole history of the
past that Great Britain never had particle of til
tie or interest in any portion Of the Mosquito
coast How was it in the other House, the House
Of Commons? Mr.. Pitt shortly afterwards intro
duced into the House bill to indemnify the Brit
ish settlers who were driven out Of the Mosquito
coast by the treaty of 1885, and the House of Conn
mons passed that bill, thus paying those who by
the seductions ofthe British ministry had been lured
into that country In violation Of the treaties Of f763
and of 1888
After all this would any man suppose that the
Government of Great Britain would again have
set up a title to this countrys She did SO. When
and under what circumstances? 40 have said,
within six days Of the date of the treaty of Gaud
alupe Hidalgo, acquiring California and New Next
90, the British Government sent armed expedi-
ton to that country, and took possession of it
again; and has now the face to declare, in public
despatch, that she had had the undisturbed pos
session of the Mosquito coast for two hundred
years. IL arrogance and bold and reckless asser.
ton could carry it, we could make no successful
controversy with them. But is it not astonishing
that nation which challenges the respect of the
civilized world should suffer Ministry to exist
there claiming that they have held the undisturbed
possession of that region of country for two hun
dred years, in tho face of the facts which have
now stated to the Senate, and which no man can
with truth contradict?
This possession disturbed u.s. Why? What
interests had We in itS you may inquire. Sir, the
route through the isthmus is papably the main
route from the whole of our Atlantic coast to our
Territories on the Pacific. We have talked about
q railroad 10 the Pacific, but We have not made il
vet, and God only knows when it will be made.
MANY think II will be finished about tho time of
the ingathering of the Jews; but when it shall be
made it will not supersede the necessity Of pas
cage through the isthmus for u.s. We must go
through there. or we may have to give up Califor-
MIA aud the rest of our Pacific possessions at some
future day to form for themselves separate re-
public on the other side OF the Rocky Mountains
No men understand it better than the British Min
istry.
Mr.. President do not wish to prolong these
remarks unnecessarily, nor shall 60 into tho
rough discussion of this subject at this time.
Mr.. SEWARD. Will the honorable Senator al
low me to ask him question?
Mr. CLAYTON. With pleasure.
Mr. SEWARD. | am aware that this subject
must excite very deep interest and apprehension.
The honorable Senator from Delaware was Secre-
tary of State during the negotiation of the treaty
in regard to Central America. | observe that the
British Government is now stated by the Pree-
dent to assume the ground that the stipulation not
TO colonize or to occupy was prospective only, and
not present and actual. That strikes me as being
new suggestion, new idea entirely different
from that which entertained as a member of the
Senate when that treaty was ratified and when
defended il. l do not know that there will be a
~, mr. mis- nra anti
which 10 obtain the view which was taken by the
Executive Department Of the United States in the
negotiation Of that treaty, than to ask the honora
BILE Senator IL he feels at liberty to state, what was
the view which was taken Of that article Of the
treaty by the Executive of the United States in
making ity
Mr.. CLAYTON.--Ia am glad that the honorable
Senator has called my attention to that subject
I mght have omitted to consider it if he had not
mentioned it. 1t is true, as the honorable Sena
tor says that this is anew view Of the subject 1t
il something Of which we have not heard before. IL
IA n construction put upon the treaty by the Brit
ish Cabinet for which they are certainly entitled
10 all the merit Of originality and novelty. Pro.
epective in its operation ] never dreamed Of
snch a thing Merely prospectivel Does any man
suppose that ], in the possession of my senses,
could have entered into treaty with Great Britain
to allow her to remain in possession of the whole
Of this isthmus, and to prohibit my own country
men from taking possession of IT, leaving her there
undisturbedg What could we gain by it? What
indictment could there have been our part to
ter into such treaty. What motive could an Amer
lean Senator have had in voting for the ratification
of such an instrument? Is it possible that any
man on earth can have his understanding 80 per-
verted as to believe for single moment that that
view was in the contemplation of the negotiatorsY
What Is the language Of the treatys Both parties
agreed that neither Of them would occupy, col
onze fortify-