Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-05-23

THE. AMENDED DALLAs-CLARENDON TREATY
ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE
From the London Posf, Aprl 15.
The American newspapers, which appear to pos
SEES some extraordinary means Of fathoming the
mysteries Of diplomacy, have recently pubs he'd the
amended version Of the BALLAST Clarendon treaty
The object Of that treaty, It is well known, was TO
settle in a friendly manner the various questions
which have arisen between the two countries rela-
tive to Central America. The American Minister at
the Court Of St. James applied himself to the task
in most eonsiderate and oOnelaOry spirit, and the
treaty 0s originally prepared, creditabe 70 the
moderation and justice of both contracting parties.
But the Senate Of the United States possesses the
power Of confirming rejecting, altering treaties,
and this power Give to accept the version Of our
cotemporaries) appears to have been exercised by
that body in a spirit not altogether friendly to
this country in England have right to expect.
The general scheme Of the treaty was to settle the
boundaries Of the State Of Nicaragua and Costa Rea
to set apart a territory for the MOSQUITO Indians
and to provide for the appointment Of commissioners
to carry the provisions Of the treaty into effect By
article three the Mosquito Indians within the terri
tory limited to them were to be empowered TO make
laws and exercise the ordinary powers Of govern
ment with respect to all persons within the same or
tsto such persons who have connected themselves
with them" The Senate have introduced words
which qualify the clause oy excluding British nhu-
ence a provision which seems to be unnecessary and
impolitic when the long connection which has sub
sisted between England and the King Of Mosquito is
considered Next, the clause which proposed to
confirm all bona fde grants made by the government
of MOSQUITO to lands heretofore possessed by the
said Indians and lying beyond the limits Of the
prescribed territory is struck out and also the ar
tiele bv which Great Britain and the United States
we're to bind themselves in case the republics Of Nj
caragua and Costa Riea should refuse to accept the
arran dement's made by the treaty-not to propose
#1,o-.rf
bic to the refusing party parties. These atera-
lions may not be very important in themselves; but
thev nevertheless show the careful and deliberate
mannerin which the Senate has endeavored to coun-
teract British influence not only in the Mosquito
territory but in Central America generally.
In the separate articles which follow the treaty,
an alteration has been made which will permit the
extension Of slavery to the Bay Islands, a colony
which Great Britain, by recent convention, has ce-
ded to the Republic Of Honduras The clause, it
originally Stood was, that the islands and their in
habitants Of Ruatan, &c. situated in the Bay Of Hon
duras having by a convention dated in 1856, been
constituted and declared free territory under the
Republic of Honduras, ''the two contracting parties
mutually engage to recognize and respect in all fu-
ture time the independence and rights Of the said
free territory as part Of the Republic of Honduras
/ The convention between England and Honduras
expressly declares that slavery should never exist in
the " said free territory" The Senate, however,
has introduced words which provide that the govern
ment of England and of the United States may re-
cognize the sovereignty Of the Bay Islands in Hon
duras without being bound by the express condition
! of the convention which prohibits slavery in those
/ islands. No one can be surprised that when the
Supreme Court Of the United States solemnly pro-
nounces decision which proelaims that free
man of color can be citizen Of the American Re
| public, the Senate should ehdeavor by every inge-
NOUS artfce, to promote the extension Of slavery in
| a region remote and SO Insignificant as the Bay
I IL l. t "a
/ England to determine whether it viii permit the
/ solemn engagement into which it has entered with
/ Honduras to be ignored at the dictatiOn Of the
| Senate.