Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-12-16

: l9, 1850, commonly called the Claytor
and Bulwer treaty, has been the mos
/ unfortunate of all: because the tw,
: governments place directly opposite anC
contradictory constructions upon It's frs
t and most important article Whilst, il
, The United States, We believed that thi
treaty would place both governments
upon an exact equality. by the stipulation
that neither will ever occupy, for oitify
; or colonize, or assume or exercise domin
ion' over any part OF Central America
1t is contended by the British govern
ment that the true construction of thi,
language has left them in the rightfu
possessinn or all that portion of Centra
America which was in their occupancy
at the date of the treaty; in fact, that The
treaty is virtual recognition on the par,
OF the United States, of the right of Greal
Britain, either as owner or protector, tC
the whole extensive coast of Central
America, sweeping round from the
RIO Hondo to the port and harbor of San
Juan de Nicaragua; together with the al
Jacent Bay Islands, except The compar.
aiively small portion of this between the
Sarstoon and Cape Honduras. Accord
ing 10 their construction, the treaty does
no more than simply prohibit them from
extending their possessions in Central
America beyond The present limits Ii
is not too much 10 assert, that if in the
United States The treaty had been cons
drred susceptible of such construction,
IL never would have been negoliated un-
der the authority of the President, nor
would it have received the appreciation
of the Senate. The universal conviction
IN the United States was. that when our
government consented TO violate its ira
ditional and time honored policy. and to
stipuiate with foreign government ne
yer 10 occupy or acquire territory in the
Central American portion of our cOnti-
nent, the consideration for this sacrifice
was that Great Britain should, in this
respect, IT least, be placed 10 the same
position with ourselves. Whilst we have
no right 10 doubt the sincerity of The Bri-
tish Government in their construction Of
/ the treaty, ii is at the same time my de.
! llberate conviction that this construction
is in opposition both 10 lis letter and lis
spirit.
Under the late administi alton. nego:ia
tions were instituted between the two
governments, for the purpose, ifpossible,
OF removing these difficulties; and a
treaty having this laudable object in
view, was signed at London on The l7th
October, 1856, and was submitted by
The President 10 the Senate on the follow
ing 10Th of December. Whether this
treaty, either in its original or amended
form, would have accomplished the OBJ.
Ject intended, without giving birth 10
new aud embarrassing complications be.
tween the two governments, may per
haps be well questioned. Certain il is,
however, it Was rendered much less OBJ
Jec;icnable by The different amendments
made 10 it by the Senate. The treaty,
as amended, WAS ratified BY me on the
l2Ih March, 1857, and was transmitted
10 London for ratification BY the B:i;ish
government. That's government expires
sed lis Willingness 10 concur in all the
amendments made by the Senate, with
the single exception OF the clause reld.
ting TO Ruatan and the other islands in
the Bay of Honduras. The article in
The original treaty, as submitted to The
Senate, after recltlng that these islands
and their inhabitants "having been BY
a convention bearing date The 9Th day
of August, 1856. between her Biitauic !
Majesty and The Republic of Honduras,
constituted and declared free territory
uGder the sovereignty of The said Repub (!
lie of Honduras. sripulaied thai The
Two contracting parties do hereby mu-
tualiy engage to recognize and respect
IN all future time, the independe nee and
rights of The said free territory, as a part
OF the Republic of Honduras
Upon an examination of this conven-
ticn between Great Britain and Hondu.
ras, OF the 9Th August, 1856. i, was
found that whilst declaring the Bav |.
ands 10 be "a free territory under The
sovereignty OF the Republic of Hondu.
ras," II deprived that republic Of rights
without which lis sovereignty over them
could scarcely be said to exist. 1t divi.
ded them from the remainder of Hondu-
ras, and gave to their inhabitants sep.
arale government OF their own, with leg.
islaiive. executive. aGd Judicial officers,
elected by them selves 1t deprived tie
government of Honduras Of the taxing
power in every form, and exempted the
people OF the islands from The perform
ance of military duty exc pt for their
own exclusive defence. Ii also prohibi-
ted that republic from erecting tortifca-
tions upon them for their protection =
thus leaving them open to invasion from
any quarter; and, finally, it provide d {
''thal slavery shall not at any time here
after be permitted 10 exist therein" |
Had Honduras ratified this convention {
she would have ratified the establishment I
Of state substantially y independent with
in her own limits, and state at all times I
subject TO British influence and control.
Moreover, had the United States ratified {
the treaty with Great Britain in its ori. I
ginal form, We should have been bound a
ito recognize and respect in all future ,
lime" these stipulstions, to the prejudice {
Of Honduras. Being in direct opposition t
10 the spirit and meaning Of the Clayton I
and Bulwer treaty, as understood in the G
U United States. the Senate rejected the
enlirU clause, and substituted IN its stead e
, simple recognition of the sovereign 2
right Ct Honduras TO these islands in The S
IoIlo sing language: 1.-The two contract u
ng parties do hereby. mutually engage {
o recognize and respect the Islands of e
auatan, Bonaco, Utila, Barbaletta, He s
ena and Morat. situate in the Bay of r
and off the coast of the Re- i,
public of Honduras, as under the sove- S
eighty and as part of the said Republic 1