The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-27
Central American AMalrs-Abro9ation OF tho
Clayton and Bulwor Treaty.

The question of Sir VIM. Gore Ouseley's mis-
sion seems to be a very unsettled one and the
Washington correspondents are not at all GER
tain whether he is accredited to Washington or
to the Central American republics. The latest
version is that he is certainly going to Central
America, and that he has taken house in
Washington for the winter and will present his
instructions to Gen. Cass in day or two.
How house in Washington is going to help
his mission to Central America, or Gen. Cass
assist him to understand his instructions rela-
tive to negotiations in Costa RIGA or Nicaragua,
we are not informed. But the whole secret of
this curious piece of diplomacy is to be found
in the anxiety of Lord Clarendon that Mr.. Bu-
chanan shall not recommend to Congress the
abrogation of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. Both
Clarendon and Palmerston know very well that
if the President brings the question forward in
his message, it will be acted upon at once,
for it will be but the expression of the
unanimous voice of the country 1t is for
this reason that England and Costa RIGA
which is blindly under English influence
have already each double-headed missions in
Washington, and that France will soon be in
the same position. Mons. Belly is coming to the
assistance of Mons. Sartiges, and a grand united
effort is to be made to keep the Clayton Bulwer
treaty in existence Unless they succeed in
doing this-unless they continue to keep our
hands tied with bungling treaty and doubt
full Interpretation of 1.-THE influence of Euro
pean Cabinets on the American Isthmus will IA
pidly wane. Its only chance for existence now
is to fasten itself upon us by an unwarranted
reading of the contract.
The progress of events has rendered Central
America an object of special interest to all the
commercial world, on account Of the canals and
railroads proposed to be constructed for the
purpose of uniting the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. 1t was the natural desire of Great
Britain to prevent our attaining position
which the course of events clearly marked ont
for us, and which should give us control, In
peace or in war, of the grand thoroughfares be-
tween the two oceans. This was the main fes-
ture of the policy that dictated the Clayton
Bulwer convention. By this instrument
vacn OF them agreed never to occupy,
fortify or exercise dominion over any
portion of Central America. 1t was,
however, so loosely worded that serious mis-
givings were entertained in the Senate; and it
would not have been ratified but for some GU
rious letters between Mr. Clayton and Sir Henry
Bulwer, which were presented to that body in
order to give the matter coloring, but which
form no portion of the binding stipulations of
the treaty. The Senate was thus wheedled into
the unwise step of relinquishing our right as
an Independent nation TO acquire territory in
region on our own continent which may become
necessary for the security of our communication
with our important and valuable possessions on
the Pacific.
After having got our government into this
unfortunate predcament, the British govern
ment has not taken the first step toward the
performance Of its obligations under this con-
vention. 1t not only is in the actual possession
Of large portion Of the coast of Central Ame-
RIGA, but it has gone on extending the same. in
spite Of the terms Of the treaty. II seized the
valuable island of Ruatan, where, in 1871. Col
Mcdonald, the British Superintendent at Belize
that Of Great Britain, and since then has added
thereto five of the neighboring islands, and
erected them all into a British colony. under
the name Of the Bay Islands"
The return of these islands to their rightful
owner-the small State Of Honduras cogged
with stipulations which that State, notwith-
standing its weakness, has nobly refused to ac-
cept Then, again, on the LIST of January 1918.
British force expelled the officers of Nicara-
qua from San Juan del Norte. hauled down the
flag Of that State, and raised the Mosquito flag
in its place. To make the thing more complete.
they ignored the ancient name of the place, and
christened it Greytown. This flag of Mosquito
Is merely black version Of the British ensign.
and the government is "a felton," as Lord John
Russell called it in his despatch of the 10th Of
January, 1858, TO Mr.. Champion. Even Lord
Palmerston, in speaking Of the Mosquito King
to Mr.. Rives, in 1851 said, "IIe is as much
King as you or l."
II II these facts, and the twisting and turn
ing Of the British government in its intcrpreta-
ton Of the Clayton-Bulwcr treaty, that have
outraged the honest sentiment of our people.
and lead them to desire with great unanimity
that notice shall be given to the British govern
ment of its termination. Such step il particu-
larly distasteiu to Palmerston and Louis Napo-
leon, whose great object Is TO tie the hands of
our government, at least for a time, while they
are getting through the difficulties which are
accumulating round them in the India revolt.
he China war, the Moldo- Wallachian question,
the revulsion, and probable bread riots in Eng
laLd and France, the Spanish and Mexican i'm
broglio, and the revolutionary era which the
financial crisis IL about to inauguratc in Euro
pean politics. The times are brooding with
great events on both continents and England
and France well know that the Clayton Buwer
treaty Is a mighty clog upon our national pro-
gress, while, under their Interpretation, IL il no