Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-12-16

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ever, il was rendered much less Objectionable
by the different amendments made to 1t by the
Senate. The treaty, amended, was ratified
by me on the 18th March, 1857, and was trans
mitted to London for ratification by the Brit
ish 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 Ruatan and the other
islands in the bay of Honduras. The article
in the original treaty, as submitted to the Sen
ate, after reciting that these islands and their
inhabitants sshaving been by a convention
bearing date the 27th day of August, 1856, be-
tween her Britannia Majesty and the republic
Of Honduras, constituted and declared free
territory under the sovereignty of the said re-
public of Honduras" stipulated that s'the two
contracting parties do hereby mutually engage
to recognize and respect in all future time the
independence and rights of the said free terri
tory a part of the republic of Honduras
Upon an examination of this convention be-
tween Great Britain and Honduras of the 9th
August, 1856, it was found that, whilst declar
ing the Bay Islands to be ga free territory I'M
der the sovereignty of the Republic of Hon
duras," it deprived that republic of rights,
without which its sovereignty over them could
scarcely be said to exist. 1t divided them
from the remainder of Honduras. and gave to
their inha abtants seperate government of
their own. with legislative, executive and ju-
prived the government of Honduras of the
taxing power in every form, and exempted the
people of the Islands from the performance of
military duty except for their own exclusive
defence. 1t also prohibited that republic from
erecting Notifications upon them for their pro-
tection-thus leaving them open to invasion
from any quarter and, finally, it provided
''that slavery shallnot at any time hereafter
be permitted to exist therein.''
Had Honduras ratified this convention, she
would have ratified the establishment of Il
State substantially Independent within her own
limits. and State at all times subject to Brit
ish influence and control. Moreover, had the
United States ratified the treaty with Great
Britain in its original form, we should have
been bound ssto recognise and respect in all
future tme' these stipulations to the prejudice
of Honduras. Being in direct opposition to
the spirit and meaning of the Clayton and Bni-
wer treaty as understood in the United States,
the Senate rejected the entire clause, and sub
stituted in its stead a simple recognition of the
sovereign right of Honduras to these islands
i'll the following language ssThe two contract
ing parties do hereby mutually engage to rec
ognise and respect the islands of Ruatan, Bon
AGO, Utila, Barbaretta, Helena, and Morat, sit
uate in the Bay of Honduras, and off the coast
of the republic of Honduras, under the
sovereignty and as part of the said republic of
Honduras
Great Britain rejected this amendment, as
signing as the only reason, that the ratica-
tions of the convention of the 9th August,
1856, between her and Honduras, had not been
exchanged, owing to the hesitation of that
government" Had this been done, it is stat
ed that ssher Majesty's government would have
had little difficulty in agreeing to the modifi-
cation proposed by the Senate, which then
would have had in effect the same Specification
as the original wording" Whether this would
have been the effect; whether the mere cir
Of flaa han of tha aati
of the British convention with Honduras prior
in point of time to the ratification of our treaty
with Great Britain would, sin effect,'' have
had ssthe same Specifications as the original
wording,'' and thus have nullified the amend
ment of the Senate, may well be doubted. 1t
is, perhaps, fortunate that the question has
never arisen.
The British government, Immediately after
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 Senate's clear and
unqualified recognition of the sovereignty of
Honduras over the Bay Islands the following
conditional stipulation: s.Whenever and so
soon as the republic of Honduras shall have
concluded and ratified treaty with Great
Britain by which Great Britain shall have
ded, and the republic of Honduras shall have
accepted, the said islands, subject to the pro-
treaty"
This proposition was, of course, rejected.
After the Senate had refused to recognise the
British convention with Hondui as of the 9th
August, 1856, with full knowledge of its con-
tents, it was impossible for me, necessarily lg-
norant of s.the provisions and conditions
which might be contained in a future conven-
ton between the same parties, to sanction them
in advance.
The fact is that when two nations like Great
Britain and the United States, mutually desr-
Gus as they are, and | trust may ever be, of
maintaining the most friendly relations with
each other have unfortunately concluded a
treaty which they understand in senses direct
ly opposite, the wisest course is to abrogate
such a treaty by mutual consent, and to COM
mencc 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 discussing the meaning of
the CLAYTON and Bulwer treaty would have
been devoted to this praiseworthy purpose,
and the task would have been the more easily
accomplished because the interest of the two
countries in Central America is identical, be-
ing confined to securing safe transits over all
the routes across the Isthmus.
Whilst entertaining these sentiments, /
shall nevertheless not refuse to contribute to
any reasonable adjustment of the Central A
merican questions which is not practically In-
consistent with the American Interpretation
of the treaty. Ovcrtures for this purpose have
been recently made by the British government
in friendly spirit which / cordially recipro-
cate but whether this renewed effort will re-
suit in success am not yet prepared to ex-
press an opinion. A brief period will deter
mine.
With France our ancient relations of friend
ship still continue to exist. The French gov
ernment have in several recent instances which
need not be enumerated. evinced a spirit OF
xvtn frV