Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-19
WAsniNGToN, May IA.


Mr. Clayton said lint he had seen in this morn
ing's newspapers an extract purportIng 10 be
from a letter of the British Minister at Washing
ton To Lord Clnr"ndon dated Washington Mar.
81 l156 in which Mr.. Champion says:
"t will be within vour Loraship', reco1ec-
ton that Mr. Clayton was informed by sir Hem
~ lIulwcr befocc the treaty Of 1870 wa signed
that Raatan was de yjurc aud DE- ftcto British
rossrss"n,and MIR. Clayton has on various coca
sions slncoin conversation with me stated that
lie con =Idrrrd Ruatan IA much as II British pos
ser sion rs jnm0icn or or any other British West
India lslnnd.
Mr.. CLAYTON said That this statement was ut
terly untrue IN every part of 1t; and the British
Minister must have lnbored under strange
haneinatIon over entered the brain oi any
man 10 make such statement. Nothing like it
Ind eyer escaped him. in conversation with Mr:
CHAMPION or any bodv else. Fortunately for hun.
however, the fact did not rest merely upon the
statements of Mr.. Crampton and himself, but he
bad living witness. First he would call the ut
tontion of the Senate 10 letter written by MIR.
Champion and read in the Senate the 18th of
January 1854. in the course of one of Mr.. Clay.
| toms speeches. in which he WAS attempting to
prove that Ruoton was not II dependency of Be
lie, and was not exempted from the provisions
ot the treaty at lS56. lie then had Mr.. tramp.
TONS testimony on the subject. aud he read it 10
/ the Srnntr, and he proposed to read it now again
! tn contradict this statement which was made
! known to him this morning for the first time aud
| winch he said, 'the depencies of British liondu-
raS are in my opinion, distinctly enumerated in
the treaty of l796" He had made this statement
deliberately, alter consulting the records of his
legation; and the Irresistible conclusion was that
Ruatan was not included in those dependencies
MIR. Clayton proceeded to say that while he
was detained at his lodgings by sickness in Frb-
ruary or March last he was called upon by Mr.
! al IL 81, i
versatlon upon tli, subject, Mr.. Champion came
| in to invite Mr.. CLAYTON to dine with him. Mr.
Clayton was too sick to accept the invitation;
nut he took the occasion to ask Mr. Champion if
he Knew any thing Of the charge that he iNr.
Chyton) had ever admitted that Ruatan was OK.
'mpted from the operation of the treaty. aud Mr.
! Champion, III the most unqualified terms, ac-
! knuwlcdged that there was no truth in the report
that MIR, Clayton had ever made such intimation
| to him.
MIR. Crittendcn corrohorated the statement Of
Mr. Clayton. lie could not pretend to detail the
conversation at which he was thus accidentally
| present; but, according to his recolection the
substance of it was directly contrary To the state.
| nrnt IN the newspaper. and sustained the &C.
count which Mr.. Clayton had given Of it.
Mr.. Clayton said that he had made speech af
| ter speech in the Senate. cndeavoring to prove
The direct reverse Of what the paper had repre-.
scented him as admitting. lie willing Ia put
the most charitable construction upon it, but il
was An utter mi
MIR, Cass thought it was very certain that Mr.
Clayton, unless in some fit of insanity, could
never have said Ia Mr.. CHAMPION what was at.
trihuted 10 him.
Mr.. Pratt inquired what evidence there was
that this letter was authentic. He thought there
must be some mistake about it.
Mr. CLAYTON bad no knowledge ofits anthem
| lcity, When his attention called to il this
morning he was very much aston-hed, and his
| hrSt dntN WIS 10 prove that the statement, no
| matter by whom made was false If MIR. Cramp.
| ION never made such II statement he was not in
Jurea ny these remarks but if he did make IT, il
was tor h,m tn cxplim it. 1t had appeared in the
public prints; aud until it was denied or dsa-
s'wea Mr. Clayton was bound to suppose it was
genuine documents but he should ba var,
happy TO be assured Of the contrary.