New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-03
GREAT BRITAIN.
THE AMERICAN DIFFICULTY.

THE AMERICAN DftFtCILI1.
We have already given a brief summary of the
debate in the House Of Commons the sth ult. We
now copy from TIE Daily Ners the following full
report:
Mr. Golden said be had some time ago taken the
opportunity Of asking the noble Lord at the bead OF
The Government if be bad any objection to lay on the
table Of the House the correspondence with respect to
our relations with America, and the answer he received
was that the correspondence could not be ald on The
table as II was incomplete. He begged 1t to be dis
tnctly understood that there were two subjects OF
dispute at the present moment involving grave con-
deratiODs between this country and the United states
Of America One of these questions was with regard
to the Central American Convention of 1850. In the
year 1850 the English and Anencan Governments
entered into convention certainly most benign 10 It's
object and novel in its CHARACTER for the purpose OF
guaranteeing a ship canal TO unite the two oceans at
the Ishmus of DarieD. The convention began by
expressing q hope and desire that the convention
might have the effect among other things, of pro-
noting peace and amty among the contracting par
ties and concord and civilization throughout the whole
world. The guaranty was also elastic 10 ITS operation,
for the contracting parties contemplated the case OF
the other powers of the earth joining them in the
guaranty. 1t was provided by the convention
that ships passing the canal, or within certain
distance of its entrance, should not be subject to
capture or moestatiOn. The object contemplated by
that convention, therefore, deserving OF universal
appreciation and admiration. But owing to an uniortu-
nate propensity of dplomatists TO involve their sem
but to Themselves this convention was the cause of
serious quarrel between this country and the United
States. His honorable friend the member for Dunn
fries mr. Ewar proposed that there should be All ex-
animation Of all persons entering into the diplomatic
service of the country. lie would suggest to his hon
orable friend that one of the qualifications TO be re-
uured of such persons should be that of being able TO
write plain and Ineligible English. " Hear, hear
and laughter IL the present this result was the
more incomprt hensibe, the dpomasts OF both the
contracting parties wrote and spoke the same language
If one of the parties spoke German or French there
might be some for not understanding each other.
From 1850 down to October last this convention had
been the subject of correspondence between the two
Governments 1t was then laid before the Senate of
the United States on the motion of hr. Clayton, the
negotatOr of the convention on Their behalf, winch
was a conclusive proof that the Government OF the
United States considered the correspondence closed
Mr. Buchanan also stated to Lord Clarendon that he
considered the correspondence concluded, ana LORD
Clarendon in his reply admitted that it was. Wben
therefore the noble lord stated IN reply To him MIR.
Cobden that he could not produce the correspondence
because il not complete he must have made that
statement in unconscious error The correspondence
was in fact in his hand at that moment having been
published in this country in the shape of pamphlet
price IL. And although it discussed by the press
and people Of this country, and made the subject OF
conversation in society, he not able to quote or
found any motion upon II in that house, because for
that purpose ii was necessary 10 have the docu-
ments officially from their own Government. Surely
the House OF Commons ought not TO be the only body
remaining unacquanted with these documents. lie
lOped Therefore that there would be further oblec
ton TO furnish them TO the House or if there was that
il would be other ground than that given the
other night. lie also hoped that the noble lord IN bis
reply would keep his answer TO this question distinct
from the next which related to the enlistment Oftoops
in the United States for this country. Ii appeared
that they sent missionaries to the United States for
this purposes and in the rst place he should like to
know who We're the wise men in council who sent TO
the United States for the purpose of getting there
IN fsobtth he hiatt IF wit Russia
stream of human labor had been flowing for years at
the of hundreds of thousands per year from East
10 West because offered superior opportunities OF
bette ring their fortunes; and il seemed to him Just
feasible roll back the seasons, reverse the course
Of rivers as send 10 the United States where l.. was
the ordinary wages of labor for men to fight the battles
OF this country for Is dav in remote ami obscure
border of the Black Sea- This was 30 absurd and fool
ish project that he should ike 10 know who was re-
sponsble for ts suggestion There no correspond
eice published ts subject either in this country or
in the United States. But common rurncE, and Lord
Clarendon, in another place, SAID thst on renonsuance
being made on this subject by the nited States, We
admitted our error countermauded our orders, and
withdrew our recruiting sta from the nted states,
and even from Canada. He understood that our
0merde was most honorable ana ample ana was
considered satisfactory by the United states but
after il was made other transactions, he was informed
had occurred which had rcopened the whole question,
and induced the United States to retract her accept
ance Of the first apology Upon this subject he only
united its error II seemed to him of little consequence
whether they made concession or reparanon IN one
form or another When you trcd on snothers corn,
il did not make such difference whether YOU said -
beg your pardon or Il beg ten thousand parions."
II was not OF such importance that any sensible man
would 90 10 fistcuffs on it. As the Government
wronr bv their own admission, and the House of
Commons stood responsible IN the ramc of the conn
Inv for the acts of the Government, he thought II
would be wei TO have the real facts and state Of the
question laid before them. The dispute was likely 70
have assumed much Of personal character, 70 have
been embitered and envcnomed in the course Of the
correspondence. That being So II the question was
taken ont of the hands of the Foreign Office and
brought under the discussion of the House aud the
country be believed 1t would BE- found that i was
the wish Of the House and the country that this dis
pute should not De allowed 10 go There wa, some
tslk Of arbitration with respect TO the trst ques-
ton and in regard 10 this question also why
should not the same course b. taken As in the
case OF private quarrel where the seconds arranged
the Ter ms of the apology, why not nations also refer
their disputes TO the arbitration of other States
TIE party who committed the wrong should not be the
party TO mete out the measure of aionemcnt. lie IN
deTstood there was some apprehension that the next
mali would bring account that MIR. Champion bad |
received his passport, and on his way home he
believed that 10y discussion in that House and IN the
country some means would be found Of escaping from
The difficulty ard adjusting the quarrel ON the other
hand, nothing could be gained by wrapping it up and
keeping il strouded in the secrecy Of the Foreign |
Office In th, moral as well in the physical world
there WAS danger where there was darkness. The |
danger in respect 70 this enlistment question iu-
mipeut: and therefore, h. wanted to know from the |
noble lord whether be would lay the papers respecting
il beoIe TIE Horse. Il ony ast night thu, tie