Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-15
FoEEIcx OFFICE, June 20, 49,

MARCY.
FoEEIGy OFFICE, June 90, 1856.
Sir,-The despatch Of the Secretary ofState of
the United States dated the oath ult, copy of
which was placed by you i'll my hands on the
lIth instant, on the subject Of the difference of
opinion between the British Government and
that ofthe United States, regarding the cOnstTuc-
ton and effect Of the Convention Of April 10,
1850, and the subject of Central America gene
rally, has received the attentive consideration Of
Her Majesty's Government.
Before proceed to communicate to you the
views other Majesty's government in reply to
this despatch, / will beg leave to remark, in an
BUer to Mr.. Marcy's observation, that direct com
municatioD upon the subject had for some time
ceased between Mr.. Buchanan and myself, that
such correspondence had ceased because ii APP
peaFed to her Majesty's government that further
correspondence was not likely to lead to a settle
meut Of the question at issue. That question
turned Upon the Interpretation Of the treaty of
1850, respecting which her Majesty's govern
ment Ieant for the first time frOui Mr.. Buchanan
that vieN had been taken by the present gOY-
crnment of the U. S. different from that Of the
preceding government The treaty arose out of
the various projects which had been started for
commercial communications across Central Am
erica, between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and
especially had reference tn the scheme ola ship
canal by the river st John and the Lake Nicara-
qua The main object Of the treaty was to pro-
vide security that such lines of commercial
communication, through whatever part of Cen
trail America they might pass should ne free for
the uEe of NIL nations, and should not fall under
the exclusive control of any power.
These objects and purposes are clearly ex-
planned and stated in the first article which is as
follows -
@The Governments of Great Britain and the
United States hereby declare that neither the
one nor the other will ever obtain or maintain
for itself any exclusive control over the said
ship canal; agreeing thatneitter will ever erect
or maintain any Notifications commanding the
same, or in the vicinity thereof, or occupy, or
fortify, OF cOlOnise, or assume, or exercise any
dominion over Nicaragua, Costa RIGA, the Mos
quito coast or any part of Central America
nor will either make use Of any protection which
either affords or may Afford or any alliance
which either has or may have to or with any
state or people for the purpose of erecting or
maintaining any such fertilization, or of occu-
plying, terrifying. or colonising Nicaragua, Costa
Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central
America, or of assuming or exercising domin-
ion over the same. Nor will Great Britain or
the United States take advantage of any intima-
cy, or use any alliance, connection or influence
that either may possess with any state or gov
eminent through whose territory the said canal
may pass, for the purpose of acquiring or hold
ing, directly or indirectly, for the subjects or
citizens Of the one, any rights or advantages in
regard TO commerce or navigation through tho
said canal, which shall not be offered on the
same terms to the subjects or citizens of the
other.n
Her Majesty's government deemed that the
plain and unquestionable interpretation of this
article WAS that each government was prohibit
ed from doing what the words of the article ex-
plicitly declared that neither government should
thereafter do; but that both governments re-
tanned the rights which they had previously en-
jOycd, where these rights were not expressly
limited or abandoned.
With regard especially to the protectionwbich
for long course of time, the British govern
lnent has afforded to the Mosquito Indians, this
article, 80 far from requiring that protection to
cease acknowledges its existence and contcm-
plates it's continuance; for the article says that
neither party will make use Of any protection
which Il affords, or may afford, to any state or
people, for the purpose OF erecting or maintain-
ing any Qualifications, or of occupying, tortify,
ing, or coloniSing the countries. therein speci-
fled" The treaty, therefore does not require
existing protection to cease, but only forbids
using such protection for certain specified pur-
poses
I repeatedly informed Mr.. Buchanan that it
was the wish of her Majesty's government to
ssvithdraw from the prOtectoratc of Mosquito,
provided they could do 50. with honor, securing
adequate provision for the King and the Indians
-Of that country; that Ruatan was possession
of her, Majesty's crown; and that, as her Ma
jGSty s government could not consent to abandon
the protectoTate Of Mosquito, OF to give up the
Island of Ruatan, merely in pursuance of an
Interpretation given by the government of the
Uatad ST = to IS eaty, which Interpretation
her MajoSty'S- government did not admit; the
most usual, IS well As the most friendly, course
to pursue, was to refer the meaning of the trca-
fy to the decision of third power.
-tFp his offer was made by me to NJ. Buchanan
by the direction other Majesty government; it
IL
tween rs Mr.; grampton ought, undoubtedly,
according To- his Instructions, TO have coInInuni.
eassd 90 rs. Marcy at the time when he r.ceiv.
Ell Il, my dispatched the 10th Of November,
giving an account Of my conversations with NT. :
auchaI an, but his not having done sowas Of