American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-12-18

tain it is however it was rendered muc
less Objectionable by the different q
mendments made to by the Senate. Tb
treaty. as amended was ratified by m
on the 18th March, 1867, aod was trans
mitted to London for ratification by tn
British Government. That Govern
men, expressed its willingness To con
cur in all the amendments made by III,
Senate with the single exception of III,
clause relating to Ruatan and the olhe
Islands in the Bay of Honduras. Th,
Article in the original treaty, as submit
ted to the Senate, after reciting tha
these islands aud their inhabitants, SHAY
ing been by a convention bearing dat,
the 9Th day of August. 1856, betwe eel
her Brilanic Majesty aud the republi,
of Honduras. constituted and declared
free territory under the sovereignt,
oflhe said republic Of Honduras" stip
ula,ed that "lhetwo contracting partie,
do hereby mutually engage to recogniz,
aud respect in all future time the inde
pendencc and rights of the said free ter
rritory as part Of the republic Of Hon
duras." .....
Upon an examination of this cnnven
iion between Great Britain and Hondu
ras of the 9Th August, 1856, it wa.
fund that whilst declaring the Bay ls
lands to be"a free territory under the
sovereignty of the republic of Hondu.
ras."''' il deprived that republic of right,
without which its sovereignty over them
could scarcely be said to exist. 1t di
vided them from the remainder Of Hon.
duras, aud gave to their inhabitants 9
separate government Of their own, with
legislative. executive, and judicial Of
iicers elected by themselves. 1t depri
we'd the government of Honduras ot
the taxing power in every form. and ex
empted the people "f the Islands from
the performance of military duty ex
cept for their own exclusive defence. -
Ii also prohibited that republic from e
tecting Notifications upon the m for theil
pr"trctinn-thus leaving them open tc
invasion from any quarter; and finall,
it provided that slavery should not a
any time hereafter be permitted to ex
list therein"
Had Honduras ratified this conven.
ton, she would have ratified the estab
lishment of State substantially indie
pendent within her own limits, and {
State at all times snhject To British in.
Ruence and control. Moreover, hat
the United States ratified the ueaty
with Great Britain in its original form
we should have been bound 'to rccog
Mise and respect in all futnro time
these s,ipula,ions to the prejudice ot
Hnnduras. Bsing IN direct opposition
To tho spirit and meaning ofthe Clayton
and Bulwer treaty rs understood in tn,
United States, the Senate rejected The
entire clause, and substituted in ils steat
simple recognition Of the sovereign
right of Honduras To- these Islands il
the following language -" The twt
contracting parties do hereby mutual,
engage to recognise and respect the isl
sands of Ruatau, Bonaco, Uila, Barba
retta. Helena, and Morat, situate in III,
Bay of Honduras, as under the sover
eighty and as part of the said republic
of Honduras" '...
Great Britain rejected this amend.
mend, assigning as the only reason, ,tha
the ratifications Of the convention of tn,
27th August, 1856, between her ant
Honduras, had not been "exchanged
owing TO The hesitation Of that govern
ment.' Had this been done, tits stated
that her Majesiy's government would
have had little difficulty in agreeing tc
the modification proposed by The Sen
a'e. which then would have had. in ef,
feet the same sgnifcaiinn as the origi.
nal wording" Whether this woui d
have been tho effect; whether the mere
circumstance of the exchange Of the
ratifcations of the British convention
with Honduras prior ir point Of time 10
the ratification of our treaty with Grea,
Britain would, ain effect" have had
"tho same Specification as tho original
wording" and thus have DullIfeJ the
amendment OF the Senate, may we'll be
doubted. 1t is, perhaps, fortunate that
the question has never arisen.
The British government, immcdiato-
ly on rejecting the treaty, as amended,
proposed to enter into a 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 consent to add to the Sen
ate's clear and unqualified recognition
of the sovereignty Of Honduras over
the Bay Islands the following condi,
tional stipulation: "Whoncver and so
soon as the republic of Honduras shall
have concluded and ratified treaty
with Great Britain, by which Great
Britain shall have coded, and the re-
public of Honduras shall have accept.
cd, the said islands, subject to the pro.
visions and conditions contained in
such treaty
This proposition was, Of course, re.
jected. After the Senate had refused
to recognise the British convention with