Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-12-18


america beyond the present limits. Il is
OF too much to assert, that II in the United
'tates the treaty has been considered sus-
eDtiblo Of such construction, il never
1ould have been negotiated under the au-
hority OF tho President, nor would it have
ecoived the appreciation of the Senate
The universal conviction in the United |
States was, that when our government con-
euted to violate its traditional and time
,onored policy, aud 10 stipulate with a for
,ign government never to occupy or acquire
territory in the Central American portion
Of our own continent, the consideration for
this sacrifice was that Great Britain should,
in this respect at least be placed in the
same position with ourselves. Whilst we
have no right to doubt the sincerity of the
British government in their construction Of
the treaty, it is at the same time my delib-
crate conviction that this construction is in
opposition both 10 its letter and its spirit.
Under tho late administration negotiations
were instituted between tho two governments
for the purpose, if possible, Of removing
these difficulties; and treaty having this
laudable objection in view was signed at
London on the 18th October, 1855, and
was submitted by the President to the Sen
ate on the following 10th of December.
Whether this treaty, either in its original
or amended form, would have accomplish
ed the object intended without giving birth
to new and embarrassed complications, be-
tween tho two governments, may perhaps
be well questioned. Certain it is, however,
it was rendered much loss Objectionable by
the different amendments made to it BY the
Senate. The treaty, as amended, was trans
mitted to London for ratification by the
British government.
That Government expressed its willing.
ness to concur in all the amendments made
by the Senate with the single exception o.
the clause relating to Ruatan and the othel
islands in the Bay of Honduras. The arti.
Gle in the original treaty, as submitted to the
Senate, after reciting that these islands and
their inhabitants "having been by conven
ton bearing date the 9th OF August, 1856
between her Britanic Majesty and the Re
public of Honduras, constituted and dcclar
ed free territory under the sovereignty o.
the said Republic of Honduras" stipulated
that the "two contracting parties do hereby
mutually engage to recognize and respec
in all future time the independence anC
right of the said free territory as part o
the Republic of Honduras"
Upon an examination of this convention
between Great Britain and Honduras, @
the 9th of August 1855, it was fount
that, while declaring the Bay Islands TO b
Stree territory under the sovereignty Q
the Republic Of Honduras" it deprived tha
Republic of rights without which its sovel
eighty over them could scarcely be said I
exist. 1t divided them from the remainder Q
Honduras, and gave to their inhabitants
separate government of their own, wit
legislative, executive and judicial officers, ,elet
ted by themselves. 1t deprived the gov
ernment Of Honduras of the taxing powe
in every form, and exempted the people {
, the islands from the performance of militl
ry duty, except for their own exclusive de-
, fence. 1t also prohibited that Republi
: from erecting Notifications upon them ft
their protection-thus leaving them ope
to invasion from any quarter, and finally,
proved "that slavery shall not at any tim
: hereafter be permitted to exist therein"
Had Honduras ratified this convention
she would have ratified the establishmer
of a state substantially independent with
her own limits, and state at all times sui
ject to British influence and control Nor,
over, had the United States ratified I'll
} treaty with Great Britain in its origins
foim, we should have been bound ITO re
: ognize and respect in all future time" the'
> stipulations, to the prejudice of Hondura
Il Being in direct opposition to the spirit ar
t meaning of the Clayton and Bulwer trea'
b as understood in the United States, the Sc
+ ate rejected the entire clause and substitute
Q in its stead simple recognition of tho 50
: ereign right of Honduras to these island
!, in the following language: "The two CO.
k tracing parties do hereby mutually engal
to recognize and respect the islands of Ru
S tan, Boanco, Utilia, Barbaretta, Helena, a,
: Morat, situate in the Bay of Honduras al
off the coast of the republic of Honduri
as under the sovereignty and as part Of Il
d said republic of Honduras
l. Great Britain rejected this amendmel
n assigning as tho only reason. that the rati
IF cations of the convention of the 9th A
e gust 1856, between her and Honduras, b.
not been exchanged, owing to the hest
/ ton of that government" Had this be
q done, it is stated that "her Majcsty's gc
l. ernmcnt would have had little difficulty
l. agreeing to the modification proposed
Is tho Senate, which then would have had
N effect the same Specification as tho Origin
n. wording" Whether this would have be
re the effect, whether the mere circumstance
es tho exchange of the notifications Of I
q British convention with Honduras prior
O. point Of time to the ratification Of our tn
0, ty with Great Britain would, sin effcS
er have had Nthe same Specification as the or
Il; inal wording" and thus have nullifcd ,
ly amendment Of the Senate may we'll
p doubted. 1t is, perhaps fortunate tina.
= question has never arisen.
vc The British Government Immediately
rs terrejecting the treaty as amended, propo
,n to enter into new treaty with the Uni
or States, similar in all respects to the trs
n which they had just refused to ratify, IL 4
it United States would consent 10 add to
at Senate's clear and unqualified recognition
rs the sovereignty of Honduras over the
at Islands the following conditional stipalati,
in Whenever and SO soon as the republic
10 Honduras shall have concluded and ratif
al q treaty with Great Britain by which Gr
skas.. Ill l.. IL L.. -