Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-14

was signed at London on the nth October, 1855,
and was submitted by the President to the Senate
on the following 10th of December. Whether this
treaty, either in its original or amened form, would
have accomplished the object intended without CIV
ing birth to new embarrassing complication between
the two governments, NAV, perhaps, oe welI ques-
toned Certain it is however, it was rendered
much less Objectionable by the different amend
ments made to il BY the Senate.
The treaty, as amended, was ratified by me on the
18th of March, 1851, and was transmitted to Lon
don for ratification by the British government That
government expressed its willingness to concur in
all the amendments made by the Senate, with the
single exception of the clause relating TO Ruaton
and the other islands in the Bay Of Honduras. The
article In the original treaty, as submitted to the
Senate after recng that these islands and their in.
habitants "hayng been by convention bearing date
the 9th day of August, 1856, between her Britain
mic Majesty and the republic of Honduras, consttu-
tel and declared free territory under the sover-
eighty of the said republic of Honduras" stipulated
that 'the two contracting powers do hereby mutu.
ally engage to recognize and respect in all future
time the independence and rights of the said free
territory as part of the republic OF Honduras"
= Upon an examination of this convention between
Great Britain and Honduras of the 27th August,
1856, it was found that, whilst declaring the Bay
islands to be "a free territory under the sovereignty
of the republic of Honduras" it deprived that re-
public of rights without which its sovereignty over
them could scarcely be said to exist. 1t divided
them from the remainder OF Honduras, and gave 10
its inhabitants separate government of their own,
with legislative, executive and judicial officers elect
ed by themselves.
Itdeprived the government OF Honduras OF the
taxing power in every form and exempted the peo-
pie of the island from the performance OF military
duty except for their exclusive defence 1t also
prohibited that republic from erecting Notifications
upon them FOR their protecton--thus leaving them
open to invasion from any quarter; and, tinafy, it
provided that slavery shall not at any time hereaf
ter be permitted to exist therein"
Had Honduras ratified the convention, she would
have ratified the establishment OF state substan-
tally independent within her own limits and state
at all times subject to British influence and control
Moreover had the United States ratified the treaty
with Great Britain in its original form, we should
have been bound 'to recognise and respect in all
future time" these stipuntions to the prejudice OF
Honduras. Being in direct opposition TO the spirit
and meaning of the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, as
understood in the United States the Senate rejected
the entire clause and subftituted in its stead SIM
pie recognition Of tue sovereign right of Honduras
to these islands in the following language: "The two
contracting parties do hereby engage to recognise
and respect the islands of Ruatan, Bonaco, Utila,
Barbaretta, Helena and Morat situate in the Bay of
Honduras, and off the coast of the Republic of Hon
duras as under the sovereignty and as part OF the
said republic OF Honduras.
Great Britain rejected this amendment, assigning
as the only reason that the ratfcaons OF the con.
vention of the 9th August 1856, between her and
Honduras, had not been Exchanged, owing to the
hesitation ofthat government" Had this been done,
it is stated that "her Majesty's government would
have had little difficulty in agreeing to the modi6ca-
ton proposed by the Senate, which then would have
had in effect the same sgnifcation as the original
wording" Whether this would have been the ef-
feet; whether the mere circumstance OF the ex-
change of the rafcations of the British convention
with Honduras prior in point of time to the ratifca
ton of our treaty with Great Britain would sin ef
feet" have had 'the same sgnifcation as the ori-
giual wording" and thus nullified the amendment
of the Senate may we'll be doubted. 1t is perhaps,
fortunate that the question has never arisen.
The British government, Immediately afier re-
iectng the treaty amended proposed to enter in
to new treaty with the United States, similar in all
respects to the treaty which they had just refused to
raty, if the United States would consent to add to
the Senate's clear and unqualified recognition of the
sovereignty of Honduras the Bay Islands, the
following conditional stipulation. "Whenever and
so soon as the republic of Honduras shall have
cluded and ratified treaty with Great Britain, by
which Great Britain shall have ceGe1, and the re-
public of Honduras shall have accepted the said is-
lands subject TO the provisions and conditions con-
tanned in such treaty"
The proposition was, of course, rejected After
the Senate had refused to recognize the British con-
pention with Honduras of the 9th August 1856,
with full knowledge of its contents it was mposs-
BILE for me, necessarily ignorant of "the provisions
and conditions" which might be contained in fu-
ture convention between the same PAL ties to
ton them in advance.
The fact is, that when two nations like Great
Britain and the United States, mutually desirous
as they are, and trust ever may be, of maintaining
the most friendly relations with each other, have
unfortunately concluded treaty which they un.
derstand in senses directly opposite, the wisest
course is to abrogate such treaty by mutual con-
sent, and to commence anew. Had this been done
promptly, all difficulties in Central America would
most probably, ere this, have been adjusted to the
satisfaction of both parties. The time spent in dis
cussing the meaning of the Clayton and Bulwer
treaty would have been devoted to this praisewor-
thy purpose, and the task would have been the
more easily accomplished because the interest OF
the two countries in Central America is identical,
being confined to securing safe transts over all the
routes across the Isthmus.
While entertaining these sentiments, | shall
nevertheless not refuse to contribute to any
able adjustment of the Central American questions
which is not practically Inconsistent with the Ameri-
can Interpretation of the treaty Overtures for this
purpose have been recently made by the British
Government In friendly spirit, which l cordially
reciprocate: but whether this renewed effort will
result in success, am not yet prepared to express
an opinion. A brief period will determine
With France our ancient relations of friendship
still continue to exist. The French government
have in several recent instances, which need not be
enumerated, evinced spirit of good will and kind
ness towards our country which heartily recipro-
cate. 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 commercial intercourse should continue
to enforce ancient and obsolete restrictions of trade
against each other. Our commercial treaty with
France is in this respect exception from our
treaties with all other commercial nations. 1t jeal-
ously levies discriminating duties both on tonnage
and on articles, the growth, produce, or manufac-
ture of the one country, when arriving in vessels
belonging to the other.
More than forty years ago, on the Sd of March
1915, Congress passed act Offering to all nations
to admit their vessels laden with their national pro-
ductons into the ports of the United States upon
the same terms with our own vessels provided they
would reciprocate to Us similar advantages. This
act confined the reciprocity to the productions OF
the respective foreign nations who might enter into
their proposed arrangement with the United States.
The act of May "a, 1928, removed this restriction,
und offered similar reciprocity TO all such vessels
without reference to the Origin OF their cargoes.
Upon these principles our commercial treaties and
arrangements have been founded except with
France; and let hope that this exception may not
long exist.
Our relations with Russia remain as they have
ever been-on the most friendly footing. The
present Emperor, as well as his predecessors, have
never failed, when the occasion offered, to mani
fest their good will to country; and their friend
ship has always been highly appreciated by the
Government and people of the United States.
With all other European Governments. except
Spain, our relations are as peaceful could de-
sire. regret to say that progress whatever has
been made since the adjournment of Congress, to-