Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-01-16
CLAYTON AND BuLwER TREArY.

CLAYTON AND BULWER TREATY
The great length of the diplomatic corrcs-
pondence between this country and Great Bril-
tain, on Central America Affairs renders di-
gest, adapted to our columns, impossible, but
We will endeayor to make readers under
stand the present aspects of the question. Mr..
Abbott Lawrence, when minister to England
wrote q letter under date of November Sth
1049, inquiring sswhether the British Govern
ment intends to occupy or colonize Nicaragua
Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, so called, or
any part OF Central America - and also sswhe-
| ther the British Government will unite with
the United States in guarantying the neutrali-
ty of a ship canal, railway, or other communi-
cation, to be open to the world and common TO
all nations" Allusion is also made to the dis
pute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica on
question of boundary, and between the former
country and the Mosquito kingdom on ques-
tion Of sovereignty, accompanied with the sug-
geStion that the ssIndians can be provided for
in manner satisfactory to Nicaragua and
Great Britain, and far better for them than the
equYocal position they now occupy" To this
letter Lord Palmerston replied under date of
Nov 18th, 1S49, assuring Mr.. Lawrence that
it was the intention of her Majesty's Govern
ment to ssoccupy or colonize'' the countries
he had named, and that, while n ssclose politi-
cal conneXion has existed between the Grown
of Great Britain and the State and Territory Of
Mosquito for period of about two centuries, -
TIE government '>uOeS not Cialul uOIn-
inion in Mosquito" To the second branch of
inquiry Lord p. replies in the affirmative, and
expresses desire to unite with the Govern
ment of the United States in adjusting the
differences between Nicaragua and Costa Ri
ca. These are the letters which initiated the
Clayton and Buiwer Treaty, the Publications
OF which were exchanged 4th July, 1880.
Washington correspondent OF the n. y.
Times, referring to the unusual importance of
the Nicaraguan Treaty, sent to the Senate last
week for ratification, says, Squicr's treaty
with Nicaragua, in 1850, recognised the iuris-
diction of that republic over all the territory
claimed by Great Britain to belong to the Mos
quito King; therefore to be covered by her as
sumed protecterate. 1t also StipuateS for the
joint protection of any ship canal which might
be constructed through the Niearaguan 18TH
mus. 1t Will be seen that the treaty was an
| important one to the United States, because,
while it boldly repudiated any British interes ST
or right in that quarter, it opened the country
| to American enterprise, and offered adyanta-
| ges to the United States well calculated to
! give Us rredominatinS influence in that quar-
| ter. Mr.. Clayton, then Secretary of State,
embraced that opportunity to negotiate a trea-
! ty with the British Minister, Bulwcr, for the
absolute retirement Of Great Britain from all
occupation or dominion, of whatever sort, in
any part of Central America-holding the
| Squier Treaty before him, showing that under
| it we were likely to get the advantage of Eng
| land in that particular part Of the Isthinus
where the canal was expected to be made, but
Offering to unite with the latter government in
an arrangement by which neither should ever
! be able to obtain any advantages of conquest
| over the other. Such a treaty, if lived up to,
| was far the best for the U. States, because un-
| der il the strife between the two nations could
consist of commercial iivalry only, in which
| because of our advantageous position, and ouT
superior energy and more rapid movement, the
! United States were sure to win the victory
| So Mr. Clayton made his treaty of lS50--it
/ was ratified, and became the law. Great Bri.
| tain refuses to maintain it, and holds faster
| than ever to her Mosquito Protectoratc, and
| her ssoccupation'' in Ruatan, excusing herself
| by the most ridiculous pretexts that could
well be imagined. Under these circumstances
our government has made treaty with Mica
| ragua, which formally repudiates the basis OF
| the British Protectorate, and makes the issne
at once. 1t will he ratified, doubtless; and If Sc
| England may make collision with us upon it
| or not, as she chooses. The correspondent,
! however, ventures the prediction that she will
take early occasion 20 put a war with us on tha;
question beyond the range OF possibilities.
The same authority says, public sentiment
in the United States is evidently decidedly in
favor of making the issue now with England
whose cratic diplomacy has completely ex-
| hausted American patience. While Lord Clar-
| endon declines re-opening the general argu-
ment of the merits OF the case, he invites fur
| ther correspondence the subject; but the
President has not yet decided whether or no to
make any new or further propositions. Eng
land will probably propose arbitration, which
is not likely to succeed, because there is no
great Power in Europe which we could well
trust at this time, except Russia and the arbi-
| tration of the Gar would scarcely be satisfac-
| tory to England. There is strong argu-
ment in favor Of stcrnest niexibility in insist
| ing upon the fulfilment of the treaty stipula-
TOMS. which is this-Great Britain is deter
mined to maintain, if possible such foothold
in the Isthmus as will enable her to command
1t upon occasion. 1t is for this that she insists
! on the sovereignty OF her King OF the Gallinip-
| pers, and upon her Colony in the Bay Islands,
which are the key to the Gulf. Maintaining
! these, she would be able IN the event of war,
| to cut us Off from that route to and from our
| Pacific possessions, and so render their con-
quest comparatively easy. And this power in
| her hands would constitute bond to keep the
peace towards her, which would be extremely
difficult for us to break, no matter how seri-
| Gus occasion we might have for war. Now,
| the fear of her North American Colonies inn
poses wholesome restraint upon England
| but if she could cut us off from the Pacific,
| she could consider California, and Oregon,
and Washington Territories cheaply purchas-
| ed at the expense of her Colonies the At
lantic.-Phiiad. Daily Sun.
RoMANIsM AND THE BIBLE.-The Fresman's
H. NJ H.