The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-13
THE CLAYTON-BULWER TREATY.

1t is presumed that all those who have attentively PEI
rused the correspondence between minister to Great
Britain and the British Secretary OF Foreign Affairs lately
communicated Congress by the President, will be
vnced by the arguments and authorities adduced by the
former of the following facts:
l. That the British government had any right,
either by discovery occupation, conquest cession to
any portion of Central America.
q That if it ever possessed any such right it
petely renqushed in two separate treaties with Spain
one in 1888 the other in l786n language clear and
comprehensive not to be mistaken.
g. That the sole privilege reserved Great Britain by
these treaties that of cutting ogwood in portion of
sreignty to the King of Spain.
T. That this right of sovereignty has been modi-
fed or extngushed by any subsequent treaty with SPAIN
and that the States Of Central America having established
their independence and being recognised independent
by the United States well all other Christian powers,
have according the law of nations succeeded to all the
territorial rights of the mother country.
Yet notwithstanding these "our points" established
by quotations from treses by historical authorities md
by unanswerabe deductions from notorious facts find
Great Britain possession of Of the finest ports in the
bay of Honduras with large tract of the adjacent
try the Bay of Islands also aordng excellent harbors
and claiming exercise dominion under the mask of pro-
lection over Of the territory always considered
as part of the old vce-royay of Guatemala under tho
Spanish regime and portion of the independent
republic of Nicaragua.
The question here presents itself how Great Britain
qued these possessions and by what right she continues
hold them. In discussing these points with his usual
cearness and ability Mr. Buchanan necessarily gov
erned by the rules Of diplomatic courtesy and restrained
by policy well decorum to merely stating facts and
drawing conclusions without animadverng the
of the British in the think 1t just
ly mered We propose to supply this deficiency by pre-
sentng brief sketch of the rise and progress of these
usurpaons for such they beyond doubt conradio-
ton
Her pretended right to the possession of the Belize
(which in the British maps and Of their American
copysts is called british Honduras is founded
cessions from Spain of the privilege Of cutting ogwood
within certain limits by the treaties of 1888 and 1886
Both these treates-to which Great Britain voluntarily be-
came par-expressly and emphatically limit this prvi-
lege that single purpose and the territorial
rights and sovereignty to the King of Spain, which
admitted as unquestonabe Yet the British government
taking advantage of the weakness Of the State of Hondu-
WHICH, wbeu III pechme 10
the territorial rights Of Spain in that quarter has assumed
and exercised the sovereignty that very territory
which was thus soemnly rsnquisbed Nay it has done
more II has gradually extended, and still continues to
extend these usurpatons the continent and forciby
taken possession Of group of islands geographically APP
pertaining TO the republic Of Honduras and occupying
position which in the hands of leading maritime power
will enable Il to command great portion Of the
Of the Caribbean sea as well the Gulf Of Mexico AL
this was done without the decency Of preext for
such violations of the rights Of independent States
In another quarter she seized and held forcbe posses
sion of San Juan dc Neaagu the only port of that STATE
on the Atlantic and commanding the only outlet for
ship-cana the continent, Is now almost unVer
sally acknowledged The plea in justification OF this out
rage is certain point OF honor which IL seems oblge
Great Britain to protect the remnant of mongre trib
consisting Of few hundreds Tor according to Lord Ola
r.ndon few tbousands Of wandering savsges In the las
stage Of degradation and corruption The origin Of th
point Of honor which oblges Great Britain tn
protecorate Of the Mosquitoes they called Is some
what curious and merits brief calculation.
Most Of our readers are probably familiar with tho nam
and exploits Of The old Buccaneers Of Amercaa
Of pirates and outlaws which, though composed OF man,
nations generally sailed under the British flag, and hat
their headquarters in the island OF Jamaica then recently
ceded by Spain to Great Britain Though not recognised
by Great Britain that government never took any steps