New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-23
THE CHAMPION QUESTION.
Our Own Correspondent.

Yrom Our Own Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May 81, 1856.
1t is not true that any correspondence has taken
place between Mr.. Clayton and Mr.. Champion, as
the newsmongers insist. They are still at antipOdes
and likely 10 remain so, until two men who fatty
contradict each other can both tell truth at the
same time. That may not happen tomorrow, un-
Less Congress should modify the moral code which
it has appropriately taken into special keeping.
Although Mr.. Champions letter to Lord Claren-
don in March conveys the undoubted, and, perhaps,
intentional impression, that the alleged admissions of
Mr. Clayton concerning Ruatan were recent he
does not deny, upon being pressed on the point,
that the reported conversations occurred in the
Winter of 1853 and 1854, more than two years
ago. The British Minister must be endowed with a
marvellous memory, to keep his details fresh so
long.
But passing from that point, another is worthy
of notice. Dir. Champion admits that MIR. Clayton
has consistently denied that Ruatan was among the
dependencies of Balize while be has also asserted
TO Lord Clarendon that he conceded it to be a
British island. Now, inasmuch as Lord Clarendon
rested the whole pretensiOn OF his GoVernment 10
this possession upon the assertion that 1t was such
n dependency" it is difficult to imagine how Mr.
.Crampton. maintaining the same views, could be-
lieye Mr. Clayton, while controyertng one po-
stion, affirmed the other. The two cannot bafon-
veniently reconciled.
Two wears ago the geographical facts in regard
TO the Bay Islands were less familiar to pubic men
than they are Iow, when they have assumed po-
Ltcal importance. Subsequent investigation has
cleared away the fogs that surrounded them. BY
the treaty of 1886, England renOunced to Spain all
claim over the Central American States and the
adjacent islands" In the imperfect knowledge
which exi,ted in 80, doubts were entertained
whether the Bay Islands were in the category OF
"adiacent," as defined by the treaty. Ii so, they
were Central American islands If not they
would belong to the British West Indies. Mr..
CLAYTON probably entertained this sort of opinion,
which was a common one, while discroditing the
assumption set up by England. II was shown the
Islands were only thirty miles of the coast OF Hon
duras, and consequently belonged to the group OF
Central America Since then he has always, as
Mr. Champion we'll knows, publicly maintained
hat the British possession not only secured by
-iolence but the pretension was absurd and auda-
'ious.
IfMr. Champion had written that doubts or uu-
ettled opinions we're entertained on this subject
wo wears back, and not enforced the idea that the
,sCotiator of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty had
Jbandoned his ewn ground, by recent confessions,
HIS whole difficulty would have been saved and
With Il unpleasant personal collisions. As 1t is,
Ar. Stewards mediation will be ap. to f,l in its
purpose.
The protesting days are not over. Mr.. Molina
Minister from Costa Rca, proposes to try his hand
s,ain forgetting the adsge Of the burnt child
d,eading the fire. He cannot sleep O nights, with
paare Will as Minister for what is left of Nlcara-
cus. And while the Padre is cOmplacenty asti-
tdnizinS before the mirrors Of the metropolitan,
and preparing his bows for some improbable occs-
lion in Washington Society, Mr. Mohns is indus
triously molding his grandiOQuent adiectives for
crusade upcu the unfrOcked dignitsry
Unless some unexpected obstacle should inter
pose, the President will persist in the purpose
adopted yesterday in Cabinet of giving Mr.. Cismp-
Ton his passports But, the manner of doing this
act will be accommodated to a changed temper ot
mind and to the recent developments aud dlsavo"aI
from the other side. twill be put on grounds dis
tnctly personal, thus relieving the political issue
heretofore involved, and disembarassing the GOV.
ernueut from any responsibility for his acts. In
this view and in this form interruption of diplO
matte Intercourse need follow, il the British Minis
ty be really inclined to illustrate the spirit per,a