Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-12-17

" The two contracting parties do hereby mutu-
ally engage TO recognise and respect the islands Of
Ruatan, Bonaco, Utila, Barbaretta, Helena aud
Morat, situate ia ihcBay of Honduras, aud off
the coast of the republic of Honduras as under
the sovereignty and as part of the said repub
lie of Honduras
Great Britain rejected hsamendment, assign
ing as the only reason that the ratification of the
convention of the 9th August, 1856, between
her and Honduras had not been exchanged, ow-
ing 10 the hesitation of that government" Had
this been done, it rs stated that her Majestys
government would have had little difficulty in
agreeing TO the modification proposed by the
Senate. which then would had in effect the same
Specification as the original wording. Whether
this would have been the effect whether The
mere circumstance of the ratification of the
British convention with Honduras prior in point
of time TO the ratification of our treaty with
Great Britain would, " in effect have had "the
same Specification as the original wording" and
thus have nullified the amendment Of the Senate,
may well be doubted. Ii is, perhaps, fortunate
that the question has never arisen.
The Brush government, immediately after re-
iecring the treaty as an,anded proposes to enter
into new treaty with the United States, similar
in all respects TO the treaty which they had just
refused to ratify if the United States would con
sent to add 10 the Sena,es clear and unqualified
recognition of the sovereignty OF Honduras over
the Bay Islands the following conditional stipu-
latiois: Whenyer and SO soon as the Repub.
lie Of Honduras shall have concluded and ratified
treaty with Great Britain by which Great
BRIAN shall have ceded, and the Republic of
Honduras shall have accepted, the said islands,
subject to the provisions and conditions contained
in such treaty.
This proposition was. Of cou rse rejected. AT
Ter the Senate had refused to recognise the Brit
-sh convention with Honduras Of the 9Th An-
gust, 1856, with full knowledge OF its contents,
it was impssibIa for the, necessarily ignorant of
the provisions and conditions" which might
he contained i'll II future convention between the
same parties, to sanction them in advance.
The fact is that when two na1ions like Great
Britain and the United States, mutually dssrous
as they are and trust ever may be, Of main
tanning the most friendly relations with each
other, have unfortunately conc luded treaty
which they understand in senses directly oppo-
site the wisest course is to abrogate such treaty
BY mutual consent, and 10 commence anew. Had
this been done promptly, all difficulties IN Cen
trail America would have beeu adjusted TO the
satisfaction of both parties. The time spent In
discussing the meaning of the Clayton and Bull
wer treaty would have been devoted to this
praisewolthy purpose, and the task would have
been more easily accomplished because The IN
terest of the two countries in Central America $
Identical being confined to securing sale translts
over all the routes across The lsthmus
Whilst entertaining these sentiments, shall
nevertheless not refuse to contribute to any rea-
sonabe adjustment of the Central American ques-
tons which is not practically inconsistent with
the American Interpretation of the treaty. Over
lures for this purpose have been recently by the
British government IN friendly spirit VIII ch
cordially reciprocate but whether this renewed
, effmt will result in success am not yet prepar-
ed to express an oppinion. A brief period will
determine.
With France our ancient relations of friend
shin sill continue to exist The French govern
lnent have in several recent instances, which
need net be enumerated, epinced spirit of good
will and kindness towards our conntry which
heartily Zee procae 1t Is Notwithstanding
much to be regretted that two nations whose
productions are of such character as to invite
the most extensive exchanges and freest com
mercal intercourse, shou Id continue TO enforce
ancient and obsolete restrictions OF trade against
each OTHER. Our commercial treaty with France
is in this respect an exception from cur treaties
with all other commercial nations. 1t ]ealonsly
levies discriminating duties both on tonnage ant
on articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture
Of the one country, when arriving in vessels be
longing 10 the other.
More than forty years ago on the Cd oil Marcel
1916 Congress passed an act offering to all la
=. I,1o .r;, tna;r NJ,
,onaI productions into the ports of the Unite
states upon the same terms with ourowH vessel
provided they would reciprocae to ue similar ad
vantages This act confined the reciprocity I
the productions of the respective foreign nation
who might enter into the proposed arrangement
with the United States. The act of May Gath
1923, moved this res friction and offered sln'
lar reciprocity to all such vessels without refer
ence to the origin of the cargocs Upon ihes
principles Our commercial treaties and arrange
have been founded, except with France; and lie
US hope that this exception may not long exls
Oar relations with Russia remain, as the
have ever been, on the most friendly footing
The, present Emperor, as wei as his predeces;
ors, have never failed. when the occasion ofiere
to manifest the r good will to our country an
their friendship has always been highly appreciate
by the government and people of the Unite
States.
AND THE REST OF MANKIND EXCEPT CUBA.
With all other European governments, excel
that Of Spain our relations are as peaceful t
we'coud desire | regret to say that no PR
gress whatever has been made, since the at
journment of Congress, toward the settemer
o. any of the Numerous claims of our either
against the Spanish government Besides, tt
: outrage committed on our flag by the SPANS
war lrigate Ferrolano On the high seas off 1t
coast of Cube, in March, 1855, by firing int
the American Mail steamer FL Dorado, and d.
tanning and searching her, remain unaeknow
edged and unredrcssed. The general tone an
temper of the Spanish government towards thu
of the United States are much to be regretted
Our present Envoy Extraordinary and Ministt
Plenipotentiary to Madrid has asked to be u
called and it is my purpose to send out a ne
Minister to Spain, with special instructions o
all questions pending between the TIVE soscr'
ments, and with . determination to have thel
speedily and anhcab!y adjusted, if this be pc
sible In the meantime, whenever our Ministe
urges the just claims Of our citizens on the nt
tioe Of the Spanish government, he is met wit
the objection that Congress had never made III
appropriation recommended by President Pol
in his animal message OF December 1877, Z" /
be paid to the Spanish government for the pu
pose of distribution among the claimants in tt
Amistad ease' A similar recommendation vi
made by my immediate predecessor in his me
sage of December, 1858; and entirely cencu
ring with both in the opinion that this linden
nifty is Justly due under the treaty with Spa
of the 9th of October, 1895 earnestly re
ommend such an appropriation to the iaVorab
consideration of Congress.
4 treaty of friendship and commerce W
concluded at Constantinople on the 18th
De, enber, 1856, between the United States al
Persia, the notifications OF which were exchan
ed at Constantinople on the 18th of June, 1856
and the treaty was proclaimed by the Preside
OH the 18th August, 1857. This treaty, it