Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-06-03

urSSJt,E FROM ffE fNF'IP---
n UNITED STATES.
p, ~. Senate of TIE i'mtrd States
IT, ,rr,I,rr answer 10 the resolution G. % Hrna'e oil
,hr E;h of January last, requesting : - :. "i any
,.1rini correspondence not previously inrhten
t,u,I,im.- the convention between the ,mifcl Stars
and Grra, Britain the 10th Of .Apr!., 3, trans
NIT copy Of an instruction Of the 2i' .I7: from the
Secretary of State TO the minister "f H.: ;:rd Saes
at London. FRANKLY = iCE.
WAsuisGroS, May %, 1886.
.uy. M,rcytO Mr. Doi'cs.
mo. 49, DEPARTMENT u safe,
WasmISGroS, Ma T., $50.
Sir; am directed BY the President . dd-e's you
on the suiiect of the difference Of op:.2n between
the British government aud that of tbs .i:i,e1 States
regarding tho construction and effect - te conven.
ton Of April 49, $780, and the subia1: u. Central
:. merica generally, and 10 state to -. ia views
which the President eternins Of tn: cs:"n as it
now stands, in order that you may ate tho
same To the Earl of Clarendon, he: -:rrcnnic Ma.
i"Srys Principal Secretary Of State =: I'm AT
fairs.
You are aware that there has beer =: -ect com
nuuicalinn between the two goye-..:-e:::5 on me
main subject since The letter of your - .''sor Mr.
Buchanan to the Earl OF Clarendon 80 Septeni-
her H. 1870, his lUrdship's reply of = -: oi the
same September, and brief rejoinc=' e.. -. BUG
hnnan on the 4th Of the following Oat~.';.
In hs letter Of the th Of SeptemLe:, . .'nchan-
IN, briefly recapua!ug the conclusls " ' zen the
President had arrived on the whole :. g, ~ "hich
had oeen fully explained to the Brittle Hernment
~ his previous dispatches, reminded &C. ~inrenaoh
that more than year had already e 80 "lthout
any u-w step being taken by the -: Statce IN
The discussion, from unwlinEness tt '-ss the sub.
iect while the attention of her Males, = Tcrnment
was engrossed by the var with kIss:d ana ne pro-
ceuded 10 say that the President had directed h BE-
tore retiring from his mission, a. he was ih.H about
10 DO Ia request from the British Government state
~, ,it,np rh
Inainiau, more especially in regard 1" the Bay
islands the Bdzs settlement, aud tile Mosquito pro-
trctornts.
To this communication the Earl of Clarendon re-
Piled stating, the final opinion Of her Llaesy s
Government, that 'the convention OF Apr. ~ 1851,
wa, merely prospective in its operation, and did not
in ANY way Interfere with the state of t.As existing
the time of its conclusion. lie repeats this idea
in other forms of expression, SAYING IN one
place that 'the British Government consider that the
design of the contracting parties was not 70 disturb
any state OF things then existing" and in another
place. that. while the British Government have no
wish 40 extend the mts Of their possessions or the
sphere of their influence" i'll Central America: they
not prepared to contract either the one or the
other in pursuance of the Interpretation Of conyen
tion 10 which Interpretation they canno; subscribe
Here with the exception of tho brief note from MIR.
Bnrhannn TO Lord Clarendon Of the 9Th of October,
80. aud that upon single point only. the corres-
pondenre touching the general Question has remained
suspended.
II viii thus be perceived that, in his closing dis
patch, the Earl Of Clarendon deslsts frJ all further
discussion uf the main Objects OF controversy which
had previously occupied The attention Of the go
vernneu's, aud rests the upon the single posi-
ton, then nj length definitely assumed ard expressly
u! a particular hypothesis touching the
of the convention.
The President could not but receive tais announce
with equal surprise and regret. hc VT uld, in.
Iced have been constrained to regard il abrupt
n
the subject between the two governments, aud rs i'm
posing this government the painful! day Of solemn
Is declaring that the convention had now ceased 10
De obi -aiurv on thu United States Eu; 10 ,Lc follow
az expressions in he Earl OF Clarendon 5 dispatch
"Thc British government share the convection OF
, Z e,ii"nt u! the United States that the interests
# the two countries aud their mutua! desire ~ main
ain existing friendly relations will alike inspire each
la.ty wI!h cuncIilatury spirit, and enable them to-
,v-rc".ne all 90 Sia,es TO a satisfactory H., Isnent OF
Central American Questions. The British government
,ca no reason why II should be otherwise
THIS language on the part of her MF,-i;y's Prirci-
on Secretary tor Foreign Affairs did have The eiIuct of
the President from disnis.hZ a.. hope OF
.u ainicaUe Adjustment OF the serious !n!suGdrr-
;aaiins which hal grown up between tbs ;wo gov.
.ru'n"uIs. He would have bven better srIisnrd il,
Ii expressing the conviction that all Obstacles TO
a,irtIc;nry adjustment OF tho controversy might,
With cuHcia,ory spirit on both sides, bs overcome,
lis lur!ship had been pleased 10 indicate - means
which, in h : alignment, We're calculated 6pruduce
i, desirable contamination. For want of this the
President has been left 10 conjecture the precise idea
Il her Mai-sty's government He cannot be certain
In, his puj~cture concerning II is well founded; but
10 is induced, by certain collateral incidents which
ave occurred, TO infer ;hst it was the arbitration by
third power of the difference between the two gov
rnIneuIs in relation to Central America.
/, appears by the letter of Mr.. Buchanan to this
eartInent OF February s, lS56. that recent DC.
Aston Lord Clarendon had stated in the House of
cords that he had offered 10 refer The whole Question
, ;he arbitration Of any third power, sad LAT the
!fcr had ben Renewed, in consequence OF which
;a.cn"nt M. Buchanan, not being aware iEnt any
nc offer had been formally made by tIs Pr;iish
Government, had IN interview with the Earl Of
Clarendon for the purpose Of explanation. IL thnt
interview l. ri Clarendon stated tina: the c:l.d Of
,r oi whc. lie had spoken IN the lloast Q: Lords
.f.rrrd - expressions he had used ia c"ars.satiun
With Mr.. Buchanan, at an early stage Gi 49, Discus.
ion On the suIiec; OF Central America, az. -.t " hat
e had said OF repetition of the offer " al.u>ion
q a. dispatch which he had addressed 10 III. CfaInp
nn III. British Minister at Warrington, did which
ir Crainptun had communicated 10 this department.
md he even proceeded to recount the answer which,
n that occasion, It was alleged Mr.. Champion had
ec-lvel from me.
In relation to this important matter as Il has since
,een fully manifested there was miscoaceptl"n on
10Th sides In the first place, although The note 10
lr. Champion had been written so fGr back rs the
OH of November 1855, ana in il Mr.. Champion had
ren expressly "nstructed TO communicate il 10 this
department., he had neglected to do so, and i was not
Until Ii late hour III the evening OF Feb. uary q, lSJO
mi IN consequence of discussions in the Scs.e OF HE
United States the subject that Mr.. Champion er-
cuied h instructions in this respect, and nsde com
uuuica,ion Of Lord Clarendoas note OF The previous
November
In the second place, it had not been understood,
i;hcr by Mr.. Buchanan or by his govern. nj TINT
he sugg estiUn. uF arbitration which Lord Clarendon
ad made 10 conversation with Mr.. Brc!alan were
dad lt 81 a
fleet the part of her Maiesty's gOverHIHeu' IL Il
az been 81 understood, the proposition would have
eceivci at once the respectful consideration Of the
President.
1t would be Supertuous now to dwoll on the regret
which the President entertuins that proposition Of
his nature. winch her Majssty's government intend
ID rs final was not presented at thu commence.
net III such shape 10 have attracted to aud fixed
.pua II the attention Of this government.
The President has never ceased ~ be- sincerely So
ictous 10 preserve unmpaircd the friendly relations
If the countries, and in that spirit, pacing over
III which there is Of apparent informally IL ihr offer
# the British government, and assuming the late
by Mr.. CramptOno Of Lord C.a.en.ioas
tote Of the 10Th OF November as definite prnpUsl-
ipn he ins,rucs TO make the preseut rcsp"use 10
hat proposition.
At the very tllroshhod is the question, win; ia it
which shall be submitted TO arbitration Lord C.lren
!pn in his letter 20 Mr. Champion of the lGh y: No
'cnber, seems 10 that the difference between
Of April ~, 1885, but that t IL; - under
food by This government.
Il, inrcel il should bo determined in any way that
he Americas construction of that treaty is correct
which - that whatever may have been the state Of
iug- previous s date yet, after thai, neither the
United States nor Great Britain is 10 hold any posses
ons in Central America; that when tue two govern
n-u;s agreed that "neher VIII ever occupy or forth
y, or cu!unIHe, or assume or exercise any dominion
,ver Nicaragua Costa Rca, the Mosquito coast, or
my part OF Cea;ra America" the stipulation com.
Ireiicnis ~ 10 the acts enumerated Prohibition OF
heir continuance well rs their initiation without
s hch tirss could be no effective naturalization IF
he American lsthmus;- H. | say, such the
l-ced or settled Interpretation of the treaty, then,
indeed. such determination would cnnG!Gdc all exist.
NJ dilI,rcicr and settle il in nocorGance with the
news entertained by the United States.
Bur, on the other hand, il * not easy 10 sec how
he adverse construction, if it were adopted by ar
,,ter, cu1i terminate the difference. Lord C!arcn.
lon coaceIvrs that the treaty "was merely go pee.
We in its n.rliioD" So IL undoCb tily was IN one