Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-09-05
IFInai5 settlement of The Central A M
erican Question.

49,
the definite settlement Of the Central
American question. by a treaty which il
Is alleged, has been arranged between
Lord Clarendon and Sir tDon Victor Her
q RON. Pleuipotentiary Of Honduras in Lon.
don. The writer says:
The treaties drawn up by these negoti>
ators have already been signed. aud con-
sist: First. of general treaty OF COM
merce aud amity. Second, Of conven.
ton for the adjustment Of all claims of
British subjects on The government Of
Honduras, aud for the extinction Of any
Indian fMosqaito) titles within the terri
tories recognized as pertaining &c, Hondu-
ras; aad third, a convention for the resto>
ration to the sovereignty Of Honduras OF
The Bay Islands.
The convention for the restoration OF
the Bay Islands is that which, from the
circumstance Of their occupation aud coll
ouiEation by Great Britain having been
regarded in the United States as ia
grant violation Of the Clayton and Bulls
wer Convention, 6rst claims attention.
and will excite much interest, The con.
ysntion restores these islands to the sove.
reignty Of Honduras. only.Stipulating. on
. u
themselves there. under British occupan.
ey. the perpetual enjoyment of certain
rights and privileges, The ground upon
which the restoration is made is the i'm.
port"uee Of preserving the neutral route
Of The proposed railway thsoug Hondu.
Eas. Arr. |. sets forth:
Taking into consideration the peculiar
Typographical position OF Honduras, and
in order to secure the neutrality OF the is.
lands adj 4cent thereto. with reference to
the proposed inter oceanic railway ross
the territories OF Honduras, de-, therefore
these islands are placed by mutual agree
, mentunderthes sovereignty of the Repub
! 10 Of Honduras.
The inhabitants already established
there are l. To govern themselves by
their own municipal government. to be
adminis tered " legisl" i'e. ex. cati7e and
judicial officers Of their own election, &C.
cording to their own regulation e. Tri.
al by jury in their own courts. 3. Per-
feet freedom OF religious belief and wor.
ship. public and private. 4. Exemption
from all taxation on real estate aud 9TH
er property. except such as may be i'm
posed by their own municipality. and col
to be applied to the common. benefit. 5.
Exemption from military service excep,
for their own Defence
The Republic OF Honduras engages not
TO exercise its rights of sovereignty in any
manner to violate the rights aud immuni-
ties specified in this article. The Repub-
lie Of Honduras also engages not to erect
or permit 10 be erected any Notifications
on said islands. or any others in The Bay
OF Honduras, nor cede such islands, nor
any of them. or the right Of sovereignty
over them. or any part Of such sovereign
ty, TO any nation or State whatsoever.
Art. II. The contracting parties agree
20 communicate the present convention
20 all other maratime powers, and to in
Vise them to accede to it.
This is the total of the convention as
touching the Colony Of the Bay Islands,
hich thus disappears from the list Of
British colonies, and deVolves to its legit-
innate owner. Honduras. The stipula-
tions concerning religious freedom. and
tIial by jury. are thus forced on Hondu-
rss. and furnish the germs from whic Il
those emiuently Anglo Saxon ideas or in
GtitutiOns must soon spread 10 the main
land-the sooner tie better.
The second convention provides for the
establishment Of a board Of three arbisra.
tors-one TO be named by the English
government, the second by that OF Hon
duraS. and the third to be chosen by the
two thus named. He must not be Brit
ish subject. a citizen OF Central America.
nor OF the United Sues. This commits,
sion is TO hear aud deci.le all claims as
between British subj Cts AMI the Repub
lie OF Honduras, and its decisions TO be
final and without appeal.
The limits of Honduras are recognized
as extending to Cape Gracios Dios. and
and the Rio Wanks or Legoria on the
South: huff the Commission Of Arbitra-
ton end thai there are any Mosquito In
diAns in tile territory above that river.
they are to decide upon the time when
such Indians shall withdraw from it, and
the amount Of the annuity meantime tO
be paid 10 them in consideration of such
withdrawal.
The treaty of amity. commerce and
navigation contains the usual stipulaLiuns
OF such treaties, with an additional arti
Gle guaranteeing the neutrality and pro
tecGng the independence of the proposed
great inter.oceanic railway through ON.
duras.
The letter states that the terms Of the
arrangement between Great Britain and
Honduras Gully require the approval o
the Legislature Of Ii honduras, which vii
be given. Of course. and adds
II should be observed that the govern
ment OF France has agreed TO the article
guaranIyins the Honduras railway. as Hn
appendix. 10 the treaty with Honduras al,
ready existing. IL is we'll understood