Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-12-19

ADil lCcOg OOiALiIlOHiT viz N4O Stebf WI
and Bulwer treaty, has been the most un-
fortunate of all; because the two govern
ments place directly opposite and contra
dlctory constructions upon its first an most
important article. Whilst, in the United
States, we believed that this treaty would
place both powers upon an exact equality
by the stipulation that neither will ever
'occupy, or fortlfy, or c~olonize, or assinie,
or exercise any dominion over any part of
Central America, it is dontended by the
British Government that the true construc-
ton of this language has left than in the
rightful possession of all portions Of Ceu-
trail America which was in their occupancy
at the date of the treaty: in fact, that the
treaty is a virtual recognition on the part
of the United States of the right OF Great
Britain, either as owner or protector, to the
whole extensive coast Of Central America,
sweeping ronnd from the Rio Hondu to the
port aud harbor of San Juan de Nicaragua.
together with the adjacent Bay Islands,ex-
Icept the comparatively small portion Of this
between the Sarstoon and Cape Honduras.
According to their construction, The trea-
Ity does no more than simply prohibit them
from extending their possession in Central
America beyond the present limits. 1t is
not too much to assert, that if in the Uni
ted States the treaty has been considered
susceptible of such a construction, it never
would haze been negotiated under the au-
thority of the President, nor would it have
received the appreciation of the Senate
The universal conviction in theU United States
was, that when our government consented
to violate its traditional and time honored
policy, and to stipnlate with a foreign go
v%ern,nent never 20 occupy or to acquire ter
ritory in the Central American portion of
our own continent, the consideration for
this sacrifice was that Great Britain should
in this respect at least be placed in the
Isane position with ourselves. Whilst we
ihave no right to doubt the sincerity Of the
British Government in their construction
of the treaty, it is at the same time my
deliberate conviction that this construction
is in opposition both to its letter and its
spirit.
Under the late administration negotia-
tions We're instituted between the two pow
ernmcnts for the purpose, if possible, of re-
moving these difficulties and a treaty hav-
ing this landiabIe object in view was sign
ed in London on the 9Th of October, 1859,
and was submitted by the President to the
Senate on the following 10th Of Decem-
Der.
Whether this treaty, either in its origin
al or amended form, would have accom-
plished the object intended without giving
birth to new and embarrassing complica-
tions between the two governments, may
perhaps be well questioned. Certain it is.
however, it was rendered much less objec-
tlonable by the different amendments
made to it by the Senate. The treaty rs
amended, was ratified by me on the 18th
of March, 1857, and was transmitted to
London for ratification by the British gov
eminent.
That government expressed its wiling
TESS to concur in all the amendments made
by the Senate with the single exception OF
the clause relating to Ruatan and the 9TH
err islands in the Bay of Honduras. The
article in the original treaty, as submitted
to the Senate, after reciting that these is-
lands and their inhabitants ''haviug been
bv a convention bearing date the 9th day
of August, 1856, between Her Britannia
Majesty and the Republic of Honduras,
constituted and declared a free territory
under the sovereignty Of the said Republ.o
Of Honduras" stipulated that 'the two
contracting parties do hereby mutually en-
gage to recognise and respect in all future
time the independence and right of the
said free territory as a port Of the Repub-
, lie Of Honduras"
Upon an examination Of this convention,
between GreatBritain and Honduras Of the
= 9th August, 1855, it was found that,
E while declaring the Bay Islands to be "a
free territory under the sovereignty of the
repablic of Honduras it deprived that re-
public of rights without which its sover-
eighty over them could scarcely be said to
exist. 1t divided them from the remand.
er Of Honduras, and gave to their inhabl.
tants a separate government of their own,
with legislative, executive and judicial Off
GERS, elected by themselves. 1t deprived
the government Of Honduras of the taxing
power in every form, and exempted the
people of the islands from the performance
of military duty except for their own ex-
elusive defence. 1t also prohibited that
republic from erecting Qualifications Upon
them for their proteetion-thus lesving
them open to invasion from any quarter;
and, finally, it provided "that slavery shall
not at any time hereafter be permitted to
exist therein"
Had Honduras ratified this convention.
she would have ratified the establishment
of a state substantially independent within
her own limits, and a state at all times sub
jeet to British influence and control
Moreover, mad the United States ratified
the treaty with Great Britain in its origin
al form. we should have been bound ito
recognize and respect in all future time"
these stipulatious, to the prejudice Of Hon
duras. Being in direct opposition to the
spirit and meaning Of the Clayton and Bull
wer treaty as understood in the United
States, the Senate rejected the entire
clause, and substituted in its stead a sim