Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-01
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsllor citizens o. Tic Senate and
oflhe House of Rspresentaiires !:

U
communication Of public character TO the Senate and
House Representatives until advised OF their readiness
TO receive it, have deferred 10 this usage until the close
of the first month of the session, but my convictions OF
duty will permit longer TO postpone the discharge
OF the obligation enoined by the constitution upon the
President TO give to the Congress information OF the
of the Union and recommend TO their consideration
such he shall Judge necessary and expedent
1t matter Of congraulaton that the Republic
gully advancing in career OF prosperity and peace.
FOREIGN RELAroNs.-cENrRAL AMERICA.
Whilst relations OF amty continue to exist between the
United States and all foreign powers with OF them
grave questions are depending which require the con-
sheraton OF Congress.
OF such questions, the important that, which has
arisen out of the negotiations with Great Britain in refer
TO Central America
BY the convention concluded between the govern
the 18th OF April 1885, both parties covenanted,
that neither will ever occupy, or fortiy or COLOMBO,
exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast or any part OF central
America"
1t the undoubted understanding of the United States,
making This treaty. that all the present States OF the
former republic OF Central America, and the entire terri
tory of each would thenceforh enjoy complete ndepend
ence and that both contracting parties engaged equally
and the extent for the and for the uture
that either then had claim OF right in Central Amer
ca such claim, and all occupation authority under IT,
reservedly relnqushed by the spua'ions OF the
conventions; and that dominion thereafter to be
exercised assumed in any part OF Central America by
Great Britain the United States.
This government consented to restrictions IN regard TO
region Of country, wherein had specitc and peculiar
interests only upon the conviction that the like resric
tions in the obligatory Great Britain
But for this understanding of the force and effect OF the
convention, it would have been concluded by US
So clear this understanding the part OF the Unl-
ted States that in correspondence conemporaneous with
the ratification of the convention was distinctly ex-
pressed that the mutual covenants OF non-occupatlon
were not intended apply the British establishment at
the Baze This qualification to be ascbed to the fact
that virtue of successive treaties with previous sove-
reigns country, Great Britain had obtained con-
of the right mahogany dye-woods at the
Baize but with positive exclusion of all domain or sove
regny and thus confirms the natural construction and
understood import of the treaty to all the rest OF the
region to which the stipulatons applied.
It, however became apparent at an early day after en-
terng upon the discharge Of my present functons that
Great Britain still continued in the exercise assertion OF
large authority in all that part of Central America COM
monty called the Mosquito coast and covering the entire
length of the State of Nicaragua and part OF Costa flca
that she regarded the Baze her absolute domain ana
gradually extending its limits at the expense OF the
State of Honduras and that she had formally colonlzed
considerable nsuar group known the Bay Islands, and
belonging, of right, to that State.
contrary the rights Of the States of Central America
and the manifest of her stpuatons with the Uni
ted States, understood by this government have been
made the subject of negotiation through the American Min
lister in London transmit herewith the instructions TO hm
the subject the correspondence between him and the
British Secretary for Foreign Affairs, by which you Will
perceive that the two governments differ widely and ire
conceaby the construction of the convention and
its effect their respective relations to Central America
Great Britain CONSTITUTES the convention, as to MAIN
taiu unchanged all her previous pretensons over the Mos
These pretensions the Mosquito coast founded
the assumption Of political relation between Great Britain
and the remnant Of tribe of Indians that coast
tered into at time when the whole country was colo
NAL possession of Spain 1t be successfully
trovered that by the public law of Europe and America
possible act of such Indians their predecessors could
confer on Great Britain any political rights.
Great Britain does aege the assent of Spain the
origin of her claims the Mosquito She has,
the contrary, BY repeated and successive treaties re,
nounced and renqushcd all pre,ensons of her and
recognised the full and sovereign rights OF Spain IN the
unequivocal terms Yet these pretensions with
solid foundation in the beginning, and thus re-
peatedly abured, were, at recent PERIOD revived by
Great Britain against the Central American States the
legitimate to all the ancient jurisdiction of
Spain in that region. They first applied only
defined part of the coast of Nicaragua afterwards to the
whole of its Atlantic coast and lastly part of the
coast Of Costa Rca; and they eassered to this
extent notwithstanding engagements TO the United States
On the of Nicaragua and Costa Rca the
interference Of Great Britain though exerted at time
in the form of military occupation of the port of San
Juan del Norte then in the peaceful possession of the
proprate authorities of the Central American States is
presented by her the ghtul exercise of protec
torship the Mosquito tribe of Indians
But the establishment at the Baze, reaching far
beyond its treaty limits into the State of Honduras and
that of the Bay islands, apperanng of right TO the
State, distinctly colonial governments those of
Jamaica Canada and therefore contrary to the very
letter well the spirit of the convention with the Uni
ted States, was al the time of ratification, and is,
understood by this government.
The Interpretation which the British government thus
in assertion and act persists in ascrbng the
ton, entirely changes its character While II holds
TO all obligations, IT in great releases Great
Britain from those which constituted the consideration OF
this government for entering into the convention. 1t is
impossible in my Judgment for the United States 10
quesce in such construction Of the respective relations
ofthe two governments TO Central America.
To renewed call by this government upon Great Brit
ain, to abide by and carry into effect the stpulatons of
the convention according TO it's obvious import, by with
drawing from the colonization of portions of
the Central American States Of Honduras Nicaragua and
Costa Rca the British government has at length replied
affirming that the operation Of the treaty prospective
only, and did not require Great Britain 10 abandon
tract possessions held by her in Central America the
date OF its conclusion
This reply substitutes partial issue, in the place OF the
general presented by the United States. The British
passes the question Of the rights Of Great
Britain real supposed in Central America and
those rights comprehended the prtectorshp Of the Mos
quito Indians the extended jurisdiction and limits of the
Baze, and the colony Of the Bay Islands, and thereupon
proceeds by implication to infer that If the stpuatons of
the treaty be merely future in effect Great Britain
still continue TO hold the contested portions of Central
America. The United States admit either the in
ference the premises We steadily deny, that the
date of the treaty Great Britain had there
other than the limited and peculiar establishment the
Balze and maintain that If she he had any, they
surrendered by the convention.
This government, recognizing the obligations of the
treaty, has of desired II executed in good
faith by both parties and in the discussion therefore, has
not looked TO rights which might assert, independently
Of the treaty. consideration Of geographical position
and of other circumstances which for relations
TO the Central American States, different from those OF
any government Of Europe.
The British government, its last communication al