The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-03

friendly UNDERSTANDING as t. the mode by which pro
.eeon may BE- most sieetnaly afforded 10 the Mosquito
hi the desire Of her Majestys government not only d
maintain the convention Of 1850 intact but consolidate
and strengthen IL by and consolidating Ia,
friendly relations which il was calculated 10 cement ans
perpetuae Her MaiestYs government regrets that AN,
misunderstanding should have arisen with respect II
terms but II enertans the firm belief that by the explan
IONS has now given and The proposals il makes tina
CLARENDON.
foHnGs oFncE May 2, 1854.
Remorhs ia reply 70 Lord cloreadons statement Of Ma,
3 1854
II would not seem necessary extend these remarks b,
pointing out what might be deemed inaccuracies In Lord
Glarendons introductory resume Of the points in Mr.
bnchanans statement Of 9th January 1854 Of the or
der in which these points have been presented Ii su
Gent 10 observe that the sixth and point Of this resume
embracing the true construction of the convention OF April
ID, 1880 aud which was the first discussed in Mr. Bucan
ans statement being by ar the most important 1t is enu
lied 10 precedence
The American government cordially recprocates the de
sire expressed by that of Great Britain o live intimate
and friendly relatons with the United States Strong
bonds Of interest and affinity ought to unite the two ma
IONS IN perpetual peace and friendship Mr. Buchanan
therefore deplores the unhappy misunderstanding which
exists between them IN regard 10 the construction OF
convention which believed the part Of the Amer
lean government would terminate all their pre-exsting
difficulties IN Central America. low unfortunate would
II be II this convention instead OF settling should only
complcate these difficulties
In replying 10 the British statement whilst il has be-
come his duty TO maintain the proposition that Great Brit
ain has failed 10 carry into effect the provisions of the
venona subject in its intrinsicay delicate-he
will endeayor perform the in manner consistent
Britain.
The rights and the duties OF the parties mus, be rep-
lated by the first article of the convention of 10th April
1850 and these observations shall therefore, be primarily
directed to the ascertanment Of It's meaning The
following Is copy of its the governments of the
United States and Great Britain hereby declare that neither
the the other will obtain or maintain for itself
any exclusive control the said shpcanal agreeing
That neither will erect maintain any Notifications
commanding the same in the vicinity thereof or
py or iortfy colonize exercise any do
minon orer Nicaragua, Costa Ric the Mosquito coast
any part OF Central America will either make
any protection which either affords may afford or any
alliance which either has may have with any State
or people Tor the purpose of erecting maintaining any
such Qualifications of occupying foring colonzng
Nicaragua, Costa Rica the Mosquito coast or any part Of
Central Amerc. or of assuming exercising dominion
over The same will the United States Great Britain
TAKE advantage OF any intimacy any alliance
nexion or influence that either possess with any State
or government through whose territory the said
pass for the purpose of acquiring holding, directly
INDIRECTLY Tor The citizens or subjects Of the rights
or advantages regard navigation through
the said canal which shall not be offered the
TO the citizens or subjects of the other
In the Of these remarks il is proposed to main
tain that this article requires Great Britain withdraw
from the possession of Ruatan and the other Bay Islands
the Mosquito coast and the territory between the sbun and
The Sarsoon The Belize settlement viii demand sepa-
rate consideration. E aa..
What then is the fair construction Of the article? 1t
embraces two objects l. 1t declares that neither Of the
paues shall ever acquire any exclusive control the
shipcana TO be constructed between the Atlantic and the
Pacific by the route OF the river San Juan de Nicaragua
and that neither Of them shall maintain any
forthcatons commanding the in The vicinity
thereof In regard TO this stipulation disagreement
known TO exist between the parties But the article pro-
ceeds further IN its mutually sefdeuying policy and in
the second place declares that neither OF the parties will
occupy or forty COLOMBO assume exercise any
dominion over Nicaragua Costa Rcn the Mosquito coast
or any part of Central America"
We now reach the point Does this language re-
que that Great Britain shall withdraw from her existing
possessions in Central America including ihe MOSQUITO
coast The language peculiarly applicable this
VIII hnd more appropriate place in subsequent portion
of these remarks
any individual enters into solemn and explicit agree
ment that he viii not occupy given country
then actually occupied by him can any proposition be
clearer than that lie is bound by his agreement to WITH
draw nom such occupancy Were this not the case these
words would have meaning, and the agreement would
become nullty. Nay more; in it's effect ii would
amount to confirmation of the party in the possession OF
that very territory which be had bound himself
cuPy, and would practically lie equivalent TO an agree
men that be should remain in possesona contradiction
10 terms II Is difficult to language which
appears plain, offer arguments to prove that the
meaning OF words is not directly opposite to their we'll
known Specification.
And JET the British government consider that the con-
yehon nerferr with Of their existing possessions in
Central America that il Is entirely prospective in its ma
ture, and merely prohibits them om making new acqui-
sihons If this be the case then it 10 recogni-
ton Of their rights the part Of the American
TO all the possessions which they already hold whilst the
United States have bound themselves by the very
strument never under any circumstances 20 acquire the
possession Of foot Of territory in Central America The
mutually Of the convention would thus be entirely de-
strOyed and whilst Great Britain may continue hold
nearly the whole eastern OF Central America the Uni
ted States have abandoned the right for all future time
acquire any territory or to receive into the American Upon
any OF the States In that portion Of their continent
THIS selfinposed prohibition the great objection TO
t1e treaty IN the United States at the time Of TIA conclu
sion, and powerfully urged by OF the best
In the country Had Il then been imagined that whilst 1t
prohibited the United States from acquiring territory
der any possible circumstances In portion Of America
through which their thoroughiares to California and Ore
gon must pass the convention at the time permitted
Great Britain TO remain in the occupancy Of ali her exist
ing possessions in that region Mr. Buchanan expresses the
confident conviction that there would not have been
single in the American Senate in favor OF lis raca
ton. In discussion IL taken for granted that
the convention required Great Britain withdraw from
these possessions and thus place the parties upon exact
equality IN Central America Upon tbis construction Of
the convention there quite great unanimy Of
opinion existed in the House OF Lords that the oonven-
ton with Spain Of 1856 required Great Britain with
draw from the Mosquito protectorate
There is the strongest TO believe that the
construction placed upon the convention by the gov
eminent Of Great Britain at the time Of its conclusion "
this not the case why their strenuous Efforts before
the Publications exchanged have the British
tement Of Belize specially excepted from It's operation
Upon the opposite construction Of the convention ought
70 have been their desire place that settlement under
Its protection and thus Great Britain in Its
pancy.
The conduct Of the government Of Great britain this
OCCASION be satisfactorily accounted for only upon the
principle that perceyiug the language of the convention
g Re suhceaiy explicit aud comprehensive to embrace