Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-06-13
The Proposed Al bitratiOn O the Central American
Difficulty,

10th OF May, on the subject of the difference OF opIn
ion between the British Government and that of ih
Uniea States, regarding the construction and effor
of the Convention of the 14th of April, 1880 and th
subject OF Central America generally and stating tt
Mr. Dallas the views which the President entertans
OF that question as ii stands, in order that he
may communicate the same TO the Earl of Clarendon
There has been direct communication between
the two Governments on the main subject, since the
letter OF Mr.. Buchanan TO Mr.. Clarendon, in Septem
Der last. his Loidships reply the 25th of the
month, and the brief ejoinder of Mr.. Buchanan or
the 4th of the following October. The President, il
appears. would have been tier satisfied if, in ex-
pressing the conviction that all obstacles to salts
factory adjustment of the controversy mig ght with
conciliating spirit both sides be overcome, Lord
Clarendon had been pleased 10 indicate the means
which IN his judgment calculated to produce
so favorable cOnsummatiOn For want of this the
President was left to conjecture the precise idea of
her Alajesty's Government. He could not be certain
his conjecture concerning it was well founded, but
he was induced by certain collateral incidents, which
have occurred, to infer it was bv arbitration by
third power, of the difference between the two Gov.
ernments relative TO Central America.
! Mr.. Marcy says it would be supetuous to dwell
on the regret which the President entertans that a
proposition of this nature which her Mnesty's gov
| ernment intended as final one, was not presented
at the commencement, and in such shape to
have attracted to and fixed upon it the attention of
! this government. Lord Clarendon seems to assume
that the difference between the two countries is
~ Oh the Interpretation of, the Convention of 1850
But 1T is not understood by this government which
does not understand that al the date of the treaty
Great Britain had any possessions or occupied any
territory in Central America, unless the British es-
tabllshment at the Belize with its dependencies as
the same are defined by her treaties with SPAIN are
to be considered British possessions or territory in
Central America. That is the only possible
structlon OF the declarations exchanged between
Clayton and Bulwer at the time of exchanging the
ratification OF the Convention.
Alter reviewing Great Britain's pretensons, MIR.
Marcy says g And if it is now contended by the
British Government that in the name of the Mos
quito Indians Great Britain may take with militia
ry force and hold San Juan Nicaragua or any other
point in Central America, such pretensions would
be totally irreconcilabe with all ideas of the inde
pendence neutrality of the ishmus as to render
the convention worse than nugatory to the United
Staes Instead of submitting TO arbitration, pre-
tensions involving such consequences, or any 9th.
er way conserving to restore effect 10 the treaty with
such possible construction, ii would in the Judgment
OF the President, be his duty propose It's ament-
ment, so as 10 release the United States from cb ga
tlons not attended by any benefits; and which obli-
cations thus Intentionally incur they having entered
INTO the treaty upon the suppOsition that absolute
cIprocly OF restriction was incurred by Great Britain
The President says he cannot do anything which
could be taken to admit, either directly implicitly
that there is question in his mind relative 10 the con-
struction of that Convention and he feels bound to
take care that entertaining the ropostion OF arbi-
tratlon, he shall not be understood as actuated by
The slightest feeling Of dstrust regarding the treaty
rights of the United States. But the President is
not prepared to say that some of the questions of
fact concerning which the two Governments may diff
fer, may not he conveniently determined by arbtra-
tOn or by some analogous method OF this class of
the objects OF inquiry is the question: What are
rightful limits of the establishment the Belize on
the side of the State of Honduras The question
whether the Bay Islands do or do not belong to that
Republic? and The question-What extent of coun-
try is embraced in the term Musquito Coast, is in
the actual occupancy of Mosquito Indians, or con-
siderod Indians and with such territorial rights
only as that description Of persons entitled 10
claim, according to the established public law of
Great Britain and of the United States, and of Span
or of the Independent St ates which have succeeded
Spain in America remembering that power exists
on the part of Great Britain and the United States
to dispose of the sovereign rights of Nicaragua or
an other State of Central America
! Mr.. Marcy concludes follows: AL these Ques-
tions of political geography, regard in the first in
stance, the sovereignty and jurisdiction Of the inde-
! pendent States of Central America. Great Britain
and the United States have pretenSon thus to in
tervene except for the purpose of defining their own
mutual obligations arising out of engagements they
may have contracted in order 10 ensure far as they
concerned, the neutrality and independence of the
American Isthmus. Regarded only collateral con-
sderatlons, affecting the construction OF tieaty be-
tween the United States and Great Britain these are
|
the countries themselves, the President will not
decline to refer TO arbitration. Aware of many prac-
tcabe obstacles 10 the adj tment OF any lnterna.
tonal difference of this nature by arbiration of the
difficulties between Great Britain and the United
States and experience in the attempt 10 settle, by
such means, previous controversy, on the subject o
the boundary between the United States and the
British provinces in North America, the Pres den
does not doubt that any of the po of Europe
i which should consent to undertake the task of such
arbitration proposed would perform the duty
with perfect imparality. But TO apply to any powe
to do this would be ask of it which, if gran
ted would add own domestic duties, the la
boTs and burden of settling the complicated differ
ences of other Governments. He would greatly pre-
fer that, in controversy, like the present. turnn,
on points of political geography, the matter shou
be referred to some more of those eminen
men of science who do honor to the intellect of Eu
rope and America and who, with the previous con
sent Of their respective Governments, ght we'll un
dertake the task of determining such questions tn
acceptonce, as we'll of Her Majestys Government a
2 of the United States.
You are instructed, therefore, 10 enter into com
munication with Her Majesty's principal secrear
for foreign affairs in relation 10 Central America i
order to ascertain, in the first place, whether the ex
" listing differences cannot be promptly terminated b
direct negoliation and if it cannot, then discuss tn
conditions OF arbitration those points of dferenc
as 10 which alone this method OF setlemen seem
: requisite or applicable, it being assumed that th
. other points of difference would, after that, yield a
of course to the conference between the Earl of Car
endon and yourself, conducted in spirit Of coTdIa
ty and frankness which belongs 10 your personal re
atons, and dictated by the interests both of th
y United States and Great Britain. w. L. MARCY.
LEMON BUTTER-Twelve eggs, lemons, 9 mound
white sugar, 2 Cz butter. Rub the butter and suga
a cream, beat the whites and yoks separate. graf
the rnds of the lemons mix the yolks with the but
tor and suoar over a slow fire. then stir in the white