The true Democrat., 1856-03-11

in this language, and we will venture to say there was not citizen of the United States who read it that did not understand if to he relinqushment not only of the Mexican nrotec ture, but of all pretcntions to the possession of the republic of the Isles, or any other por- ton of Central America; and yet according to the interpretation given to this article by two British foreign secretaries in succession, it meant directly the contrary They assert that this treaty was exclusively prospective in its operation; that 1t had no reference to the past, or even the present; that it did not contemplate the reHnquiShment of any territory in actual possession of Great Britain, however acquired; and that in short, so far from this, 1t actually amounted to recognition, on the part of the United States, of rights which they understood were, by this same treaty, forever abandoned
 On this supposition it was that the govern ment of the United States Gin our opinion most injndicious y) pledged itself to policy which may one day, if rigidly adhered to, enable Great Britain eventually to obtain the entire control of Central America, simply by means of her maritime ascendency, and without ac- tuaiiy occupying, fortfying, or colonizing" any portion of that region but what she at this moment possesses, and which, according to her Interpretation of this trerty, the United States have all but guaranticd to her. Thus, i, this interpretation is acquesced in, while Great Britain is free from all obligations to relinquish her usurpations, the United States are restricted by the same article and in the words, from making any acquSioA or accepting any ces- sion, or taking any steps in that quarter which may Tn future be necessary to counteract the policy of the British government which Is suf. ticiently obvious.
 This radical difference between the contract ing parties with respect to by far the most inn portant stipulatons of the treaty, give rise to aquestion of great moment. Are the United States under any obligation to observe treaty from which Great Britain has thus exonerated herself? :? Certainly, the United States have an equal right with Great Britain to put their own Interpretation on treaty to which they are equal parties, and in which they are equally concerned; and certainly, if we are to inter pret words according to their ordinary accep- tation, they have, to say the least, quite as good grounds for their interpretation as the British foreign secretary has for his. But, however this may be, so long as Great Britain insists on this extraordinary construction of the Clayton Bulwer treaty, the United States, It would seem, are freed from all the obga- tions 1t imposes on them, and are at full Hb- erty to erect notifications, or colonize or ex- ercise dominion over any part of Central Amcrica,' without any violation of faith to Great Britain.
 When we revert to the uniform policy of Great Britain in obtaining possession of the great avenues of commerce throughout the world, we cannot suppose she will lose sight of the most important of all. When we see her planting herself at Giberaltar Malta, and tie lonian isles in the Mediterranean; at the Cape of Good Hope and Singapore, at the en- oct tI, T,,li .L. mouth of the Red sea; at the Falkland islands, off Cape Horn, and at every point from which she can watch the commerce of the world in time of peace pr pray upon ill times of war, her policy in Central America cannot be mis- taken. It is to obtain the control of this great thoroug hlare of nations, which alone Is wanting to complete her sy item of aggrandiZing herself by opIres essing the weak and robbing the defense less
 Her steamers and ships-of-war are every where and at all times prowling about the ports ol Central America, though they have no busi. ness there, as no war, or any ap reheusion of wareXiats between them: her agents and consuls are playing dicAtors there, sustained by her nautical buiIies, ever at hand to enforce sub. mission; and tLus, by intrigue on one hand and intimidation on inc other Great Britain Is gra- dually accomplishing her object. These de- tcnseless States, naturally weak still in the era dle aud unfortunately, perpetuAlly distracted by their internal di>sentions and miserable ieal ousjes, are gradually becoming, however un- willingly, the helpless instruments of British policy. By stimulating the liberal and servile parties to perpetual struggles, and by always siding with the latter she has succeeded in giving it the ascendency, in Costa Rica and Guatamala, which last under the Indian dicta- for tlarrprl is OpW if iS caid obont tr invade Honduras The three refractory States are Nicaragua, (since the advent of Col. Waller,) Honduras and San Salvador, and against these the uggfessions of Great Britain are most espe- cIaIlv directed, partly on the score of their democratic tendencies, which affiliate them with the United Sta'eS, but most especially as to these States appeItain the finest ports on the Atlantic and Pacific.
 In this way the oli poIypus is extending her feelers in Central America, and will continue to extend them unless Providence should inter- tere. These States cannot protect themselves; the United States have shown that no depend ence can be placed on their good offices; and there Is no other power that can or will pro- tect them. Their only resource, then, is to submit to what they cannot resist. Thus, at no distant period, Great Britain will have un- der her control, if not her dominion, d region which, however insignificant it may be deemed Ill other respects, Is, by its geographical posi- tlon, of more consequence to the United States than any other on the face of the earth. The United States do not covet its possession, and are only anxious for its independence. They cannot consent to see 1t in possession or under the control of any European power, most espe- cially one which has always been, and is now, jealous and watchful rival.
 r. q, th : +L States do not take sufficient interest in the sub- ject, and are not fully aware of the conse. quences which will result from Great Britain obtaining a permanent footing or paramount control in any portion of Central America. With Cuba now under her protection," as appears by the late treaty. and with the Balize, San uan, and the Rebublic of the Isles in pos session she will command the commerce of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea, and can, so long as she maintains her maritime as- tendency, in time of war, arrest 1t at pleasure. On our northern frontier she has her great na- val depot at Halifax; on-our southern Bermu- da; and thus we are environed on all sldes-ln the Caribbean sea, the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico. It is high time, we think, that the people of the United States should fix thelr eyes steadily on this policy of Great Britain, and contemplate it's ultimate consequences should it prove permanently successful, as 1t assuredy will if the United States continue negotiating while she is acting This is but playing into her hands by affording time to per feet her schemes, and to plead among other rights, that of long possession on one hand, and acuuiescence on the other.
 Unhapply, however, the people ofthe United States are otherwise occupied One portion Is too much taken up with warning on the Con- stituton and the Union to waste their vlrtuous energies on such trifing matters as the honor and interests of their country, and has imposed on those who would otherwise pay attention to our foreign relations the higher duty of labor ing necessarily for the preservation Of their do- mestio institutions and the defense of their fire sides. Thus, the patriotic portion Of the pto- ple are called on to fulfill the higher duty of preserving the constitution from violation, and " !.