Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-01-19

action on the subject Of the currency" he re-
feet. the opinions Of ,he, Governor, thus covert
ly thrown out to maaaS biayeto incorporation to
come extent anticipated 1isiEl
i We cannot close our article without express
ing our ply that the editor Of the Free Press.
the mouth-piece Of the hard Democracy, and
Of course opposed to all kinds Of Bank paper,
should Be 90 far obliged to succumb to the force
Of circumstances as to stand as godfather to
these bastard issues. q, We thought you went
where Democratic principles led the way; and
when they disappeared You ceased to follow"
-,," Consistency, thou art a jewel"
THE CLAYTON AND BULwER TREATY.
In the place Of editorial to. day we give the fol-
lowing debate which occurred in the U. States
Senate on the 3lst Of December. 1t arose on the
reading Of that part Of the Presidents Message
calling the attention of Congress to Central A.
merioan affairs and the position assumed by Great
Britain. It will be seen that the Republicans in
the Senate are by no means backward in defining
their positions this question, and if ct. Britain
insists on carrying out the measures proposed BY
her Minister, war must follow. Mr.. Seward, as
we'll as Cass, Weller, Tombs, Clayton and others,
announce themselves prepared to stand by the
Treaty. ae . r,n.iea
After the reading of the message Mr.. Clayton
made some remarks relative to the treaty of April
10, 1850, in order to show the people of the Uni
ted States the strength of the position assumed
by this Government relative to Central American
affairs, AMI the injustice Of the position taken by
Great Britain with regard to the construction Of
that treaty. He agreed with all the President
had stated, and contrasted the pacific character of
this country with the aggressive policy always
pursued by Great Britain. FIX Us -.rst
! Mr.. Seward inquired whether the ground taken
BY the President has allowed the British Govt
to take action regarding the construction of that
treaty, viz: That it was merely prospective in its
operation, and had no reference to the actual oc-
cupation by that country of the Territory in ques-
ton, was the understanding of the Government
Of the United States when the treaty was made,
MIR. Clayton than being Secretary of State.
Mr.. Clayton replied that it was an entirely new
construction, something of which he had never
heard. He had never dreamed of such con-
strucion being given to the language of the treaty
Does any man suppose, (Clayton said, that |, in
the possession of my senses, entered into treaty
with Britain to allow her to remain in possession
Of the whole of this isshmus, merely because she
had been in possession of it, and then signed a
treaty to prohibit my own countrymen from tax
ing possessi on, leaving her to remain undisturb-
ed? What motive could an American Senate
hive had in voting for it Is it possible that any
man can believe, for single moment, such a
view was in contemplation by the negotiations
when it was agreed that s'neither will occupy, COL
onizc, fortify, or exercise dominion" in Central
American Occupy means, first, to take posses
sion, and secondly to keep possession. Great
Britain agreed to do neither, also agreeing that
they would not exercise dominion there. He con-
cluded by offering resolution that the usual
number of copies of the Message and Documents
be printed and that fifteen thousand copies of the
same in addition be printed for the use of the
Senate. t;s ~ s' Httt~Ft
Mr.. Cass expressed his entire concurrence with
what had fallen from Mr. Clayton, and his graft
6catioD at the course taken by the President, and
the views enunciated in the Message. In the
whole history of diplomacy there was nothing TO
be found at all comparable with the course of
Britain regarding the construction of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, and Central American affairs.
MIR. Weller commended the Message. lie be-
lieved this country could never abandon the po-
sition she had assumed relative to Central Amer
Ca. However the people Of the L. S. might diff
fer on questions of don policy, whenever
war menaced them they would be found acting in
harmony and unanimity. The Message would be
denounced by psuedo philanthropists, but it would
meet with CORDIAL response from every TRENT or
liberty and lover of the Constitution and Union.
Mr.. Seward announced that he was prepared to
stand up and support the Bulwer-C Clayton treaty,
and if need be, If the British Government could
not be held to that treaty he ready to go fur
Their. He was ready for the assertion and prac-
tical maintenance of the Monroe doctrine.
Mr.. Toombs heartily 'concurred in the message
both regarding its foreign and domestic policy.
Mr.. Clayton's resolution was agreed to, and it
was ordered that 500 additional copies of the an
nual Reports of the Secretaries Of the Treasury,
Interior, War, Navy, and Post Muster General,
be printed for these Departments, and 200 addi-
tional copies of the Message and documents for
the use of each Department of the Attorney Gen
eral.
Executive Session adjourned till Thursday.