The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-10

raa,nerston IN the Central American Treaty.
The letter Of our London correspondent, n this
mornings paper discioses come interesting facts
in cor nection with the BALLAST Clarendon treaty
and the present position of the negotiations on
this subject II may surprise the American pub
lie to learn that when Lord Palmerston declared
in the Bxitish House Of Parliament that the alte-
rations made in the treaty by the Senate were of
euch a character ss to change Its whole import,
and were regarded by her Majesty g government
as tantamcrnt to its rejection, that he knew he
was making declaration inconsistent, to say the
least, with the facts; that 70 far from his having
considered the Senate amendments as radically
changing the character of the treaty, he had, on
the contrary, agreed 10 every one Of them, ex-
cfpt the second section Of the separate articles
relative to the Bay Islands and to that section he
bad proposed an amendment which, at the time
he was addressing Parliament, had not even been
submitted to our government for its approval.
The strsnge rcckleseness which Lord Palmerston
exhibited in thus publicly perver.ing facts,
| which he should know would come to light at no
distant period, can only be accounted for upon the
supPosition that the old science Of diplomacy
yet prevails in England, aud that diplomatic
falsehood is patriotic effort in behalf of ones
country far removed from the stain waich at
taohes to perversiOa of truth as between ind-
viduals We believe, however, that sincere,
upright and honest system of diplomacy, such as
Mr. Buchanan and General Cass intend to pur.
cue, will be found more than match for the ter
tuous mau9uver;ng of Lord Palmerst0u-
To properly understand the precise condition
of the negotiations at this time 1t is necessary to
give brief history of the facts The United
States never recognized, in any shape, the right
Of England to cOlonise or settle, or exercise any
control over the islands in the Bay of Honduras
Carrying out her policy of obtaining foothold
in Central America England contrived to colo
nze with British subjects e., a parcel Of half
negroes and half Indian vagabo1ds- of
those islands, and thereupoa Get up claim to
their practical possession, upon the ecore Of pro-
ttcting her subjects there. 1t was supposed that
this pretension was abrogated by the provisions
Of the Clayton-Bul~er treaty; bat the re-
marksble Interpretation placed upon that in
strument by Lord Clarendon, on the part
of the British government, left the ques-
ton still open, and hence the necessity Of de-
fnitvely setting it at rest in any future con-
vention which might be made. Accordingly the
Dallas Clarendon treaty, as submitted to the Sc.
secord section of article 2, Of the separate arti
cles'' attached 10 the treaty
That the ,slands and their Inhabitants Rualan Bouac
In fha hal
OF Honduras, and known the Bay Isauds having been
BY convention b arng date the dayor 1885,
between her BnApusc Majesty and the republic Of Hondu
NJ constituted and declared free Territory under the
sovereeusy Of ~ said republic OF Honduras, the two
% IL s 10 sSa
rghs Of the said frss sory a. part q she republic Of
| Honduras
The Senate very properly modified this article,
by striking out all allus;On 10 the convention
pending between cher Britannia Majesty and the
republic Of Honduras" leaving the article to read
that the United States and Great Britain "mutu-
ally engage to recognise and respect in all future
time the Bay Islands as part Of the territory Of
Honduras"
The reasons which actuated the Senate in this
course are obvious. In the first place, ii was an
absurdity to recognise the sovereignty of Hondu-
ras over the Bay Islands, and at the same time
practically to deny that sovereignty by erecting
these Islands into a territory absolutely outside
Of the control Of the sovereignty thus recognized.
Again, IL was deemed improper that the vitality
OF any portion Of the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain should he dependent
upon the conclusion Of convention between
Great Britain and Honduras over which we had
no CONTROL ard in the negotiation OF which We
Lad no part. And lastly the proposition
that the United States should he asked 10
become q patty TO convention with a third
Power tina. slavery should never exist there,
was de, med as impertlncnt as twas unnecessary.
Slavery IL recognized by nearly one half Of th,
United States; it il recognized In our constitu-
ton; and however much difference OF opinion
may exist as to lie propriety, it Is political ele-
ment In cur policy. To asx US therefore to be-
come a party to the provision ia question was
little short Of an insult, and was 10 regarded by
nearly every member Of the Senate but Nc.
Wade AID one or two other aboliliouists. The
republican members Of the senate voted for its
expurga,iou
As 10 the question whether elaycry shall or
shnll not exit in Central America, We have
nothing 10 dove are not called upon to cypress
any opinion. The improperly Of the clause Of
the treaty in question consisted 10 asking us thu
10 become party. As an illustration, let us SUD
pose that VIC were 10 enter into a convention with
Mexico by which she pledged herself never TO ad-
nit into her government Ony OF tn features OF the
British constitution. We would have a perfect
right TO make tuch treaty. But what would
England think if We were 10 ask her TO become a
party 10 such an instrument Would she moi
correctly regard the proposition as an insult
Ard ye. the cases are precisely parallel We
may remark here that the convention with Hon
duras, alluded 10, has fallen through the latter