The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-07

now heard for the first time far as know, and SO
saws r Buchanan and this very circumstance IS strong
presumpon unavorable 10 the assumption especially con-
siderng the Investigations the treaty had undergone and
the many minds that had been at work upon H. Mr bu-
chanan takes up this point and discusses II Win grea
force and cearness Before the treaty ratified There
was an act of the British government which Is eoneia-
size 10 their opinion upon this pretenson The treaty
went 70 England without any declaration excepting The
Honduras settlement from It's operation the construction
contended for under the term prospective operation
be the correct one there need OF providing Tor the
exclusion of that settlements because being held by The
British at that time il would not be effected by the arrange
meut
nut the British government returned the treaty and re-
CURED an express declaration that ii did not extend to
their possessiousa demand utterly inconsistent with this
newly discovered interpretation that, being prospective
existing claims protected from its provisions And
such too the view of the Queens Advocate in tue opn
ion TO which have already referred who said that the as
eumpton--which he understood had been maintained
that Great Britain had abandoned all dominion the
whole of Central Americas incorrect at least ia regard
20 the Belize and its dependencies The Belize and its de-
Tendencies were, tine Queens Advocate says expressly
excluded from the treaty by declaration accompanying
the act Of ratification and the expression sat least as re-
CARDS the Belize is sufficiently indicative of the opinion
that all other portions OF Central America came within the
treaty. and protected by this prospective discovery
operating upon existing claims And Lord Clarendon him
self in his letter to Mr. Crampon Of May ~ 1853 places
the exemption of the British the Be
ze-upon the declaration Of lie neyotators and not upon
this recently and prudential canon Of n,erpreta
ton.
What is the language Of the treaty upon this subject
That the parties shall not occupy Central America. How
can this stipulation be complied with If one of them
unues the occupation previously hcld2 TO occupy to
do just what the treaty prohibits. And what reason is
given for this pcrversion OF language plain words
permit Because says Lord Clarendon "the treaty does
not contain in specific terms remuneration the part Of
Great Britain And in what principle Of international
law of common sense Of common honesty does Lord
Clarendon find his justification for such assumption
ths2 know OF none. II nation, individual, con-
tracts to do act they contract the obligation 10 do n
that that act fairly requires stipulation not 70 occupy
necessarily includes within itself the duty Of abandoning
any preeuson possession inconsistent with that obga-
ton. AID if individual contract with another that
he will hold no possession in given that is
the equivalent expression in private for national
stipulation OF non-occupation nation retain a
country without occupaon-such Individual would for
ing possession that he meant he would hold what he
had not but that what he had he would keep Apply the
same considerations to the position Of England aud the
discussion terminates itself
The third article in list Of grievances is the nde6
mite extension of the Belize settlement and the exercise of
full, unlimited jurisdiction over it.
This branch of the subject has been fully presented
both hereand by Mr. Buchanan in England with marked
ability that shall pass over it as rapidly is consistent
with its clear understanding.
The British government has for century and half held
qualified possession Of small region including the neigh
borhood Of the Belize. 1t was originally seized for the
purpose Of cutting logwood; and after long and angry
contests with Spain the latter power finally recognised the
right to hold it for that object alone So jealous the
Spanish government that it insisted upon the strin
gent provisions; that there should be armed force
fortress no agrculture expressly providing that the nat
ura fruits of the soil should be its only produce be used
as food and tha there should he manufactures bu,
nils for saving the mahogany into boards. And there
are two acts OF the British Parliament passed in and
1873, confirming and recognising this very limited urs
dicton They declared that the settlement the Bay of
honduras was settlement for certain purposes in the
possession and under The protection of his Majesty hut
within the territory and dominons of his Majesty &c
Now, cir, all these limitations upon The power of Great
Britain over that region wholly disregarded and she
has fortified it and cuvates it, and exercises full do
mnon ever it az over any other part of her territories
She does not merely hold the usufrnctand that confined
for all the purposes Of peace and 1t is permanent
position on The great Bay Of Honduras.
Aud besides this change of tenure and the conversion Of
Limited right into absolute proprieorship Great Brit
ain has greatly enlarged the extent of the settlement be-
You'd the boundaries assigned TO it, to The injury of the
State OF Guatemala TO which the Invaded country beoDg
es successor TO the rights and possessions of Spain The
most remote southern limit of this settlement recoR
missed by Spain the Sboon river suppose twelve or
fourteen miles from the Belize but the British have
tended il to the Sarsoon river hundred and Gfy or
two hundred miles still further SOUTH and clearly in The
State Of Guatemala the James river is in Virginia Soe
maps represent her Entertainments having reaced the
Colo Dolce, still further down the coast
And this progressive invasion has bce Committed With
out the slightest title of right anorityconmed by
the strong hand and maintained by h lord Clarendon
M his discussion with Mr. oucbanan claims this repi.n
Gy right Of conquest out when it was conquered and
when ceded he ails 10 tell The fact Is ii has been
gained 1y successive acis Of eneroachmen sometimes IN
Glydaal and sometimes colonial Of which, ill now the
Dsn government has not publicly claimed the benefit
iIese now constitute this fright Of conquest have
before NE charge delivered long since by Chief JUS
uce temple TO grand jury at the Belize lie seemed TO
outsider II necessary TO explain by what right the author
ties exercised Jurisdiction the country between the ST.
boon and the Sastoon rivers and said neither by
grant nor conquest but by occupatea Occupation is
ue resting upon discovery and Is applied 10 region
which had belonged to SPAIN her emsncipatcd COLONY
since the second voyage OF Columbus Doctors otter tsa
gree as to cure for the patient bu, seldom ore pointed
y than in this case
d. We object to The occupation of Roaan and the cus-
ter Of islands in its neigbbohood the Bay Of Honduras
ana consider y pspabe violation OF the treaty And in
INC very lace OF that treaty, and after It's ratification colo
mai government established there called the colony Of
e BAY Islands In contempt OF the stipulation that neither
party should COLOMBO
What the facts in relation to this aQeressionc 4;
ia ondenably suehand what the objections 10 tho
Glaim2 -
/. Roatsn Is said by Lord Clarendon 10 be one Of tho
group Of islands excepted in the the treaty and
described the small islands In the neighborhood OF the
Bclire settlement and known its dependencies Now
there Is cluster Of islands-isles ratherabout three
Leagues from the Siboon river which dependencies
the elze, and are beyond all doubt the objects Of this
provision in the note, while Eoatan is large important
island, four or Eve hundred miles from the Belize
must be weak indeed which depends upon ssch support
hoaan - only some thirty miles from the of Hondu-
res and elongs TO II by as just title Long Island be-
longs TO New York
Another ground Of claim to Roatan Is founded on the
allegation that by maps IL is In the West Indie
do that Lord Clarendon has assumed this poaition
but Others have state IL only TO show that IL political
measure y determined on, viii be wanting
for its defence. This geographical elasticity IT il goes on
may rob Us u good old island OF Nantucket MAX
tropical for British purposes though not for those Of ma
turc.
q One Of The British titles TO Toatan title nv right or
occnpation and II 10 thus stated by Lord Clarendon:
Whenever Roaan has been perm occupied either
frru hp