Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

consequences. 1t is proper that
the people of the United States should entertain
just impressions upon the question that has
brought about the event-the rejection of the
treaty-only to be obtained by knowledge of
all the points bearing upon it The Govern
ment of the United States. more than any other.
is the agent of the people, and it behooves the
latter to study closely their agents acts, par
tcularly in all things materially affecting our
eOuntrys future; as, surely, upon So grave
subject as the rejection by England of n treaty
with US, TO the consummation Of which so
earnest and prOtracted attention has been ac-
corded by the Executive and Senatorial branch
es of the Government. The newsI apers Of the
day are replcte with comments upon this act of
England, most of which she'd little light upon
it; inSomuch as they amount to scarcely more
than self-glOrifying, English abusing manifest
destiny essays. We, however, find in the
Journal Of Commerce Published some days
since, an explanation of the merits of the ques-
ton in issue, embracing succinct history of
all its material points wherein the story is told
so as to bring it within the comprehension of
all; and we therefore republish it below, as
being. the most useful manner in which we can
-
mend the article to all who would master the
question in issue in few minutes; for its state
ments are correct to the letter:
. THE BAY IsLANDs.-The clause in the Dallas
Clarendon Treaty, as amended by the United
states Senate declaring the sovereignty of the
Republic of Honduras over the Bav Islands TO h.
absolute. and free from all Limitations or condi-
lOns. Is generally supposed to be that portion of
the treaty to which the British Government have
taken exception, and which has caused its final
rejection.
:. 1t was certainly understood in this country
and u was apparently the general impression In
England, that by the treaty negotiated last An
gust between Lord Clarendon and Don Victor
Herran. special Envoy of Honduras, the Queen of
GTeat Britain renOunced all Tight-real or SUD-
Posed-tO the islands of Ruatan, Bonacca UtiIIa
Baroaref, Helene and Moxat-known the Bay
isiands-and formally coded them to the republic
OF Honduras. the Government Of that State agree
ing TO respect the rights and possessions of the
British settlers, and giving them the option To
become citizens OF Honduras. or to continue Brit
ish subjects. under British protection and that
the only return or equivalent to be made by Hon.
duras, was right of transit from ocean to ocean
guaranteed Great Britain and the limited States
and an undertaking TO make free port al each
terminus OF the proposed road This arrange
nent OF the Central American controversy So far
as the Bay Islands Were concerned was consid
cred very satisfactory, both in this country and in
England ~ "
According TO the strict right of the question
In the American view Of the case, there was no
treaty necessary To restore Honduras the islands
which belonged to her Of right which She L,,
always claimed to be part Of the territory ced4d
10 her IN le2l when Spain abandoned all claim to
that country and which she had never LOST or
cedtd to any other power by conquest or treaty
III Was only necessary FOL Great Britain TO a,IaH-
don territory which she had improperly seized
and Illegally held, and by the colonization OF
winch IN l-J2-twO years after the conclusion of
the Clayton Bulwer tTeaty-she had ulanifestIv
violated the letter and spirit OF that convention
H. however, the Government OF Great Rritain
.hous AT u more consistent with the national dig
nlty t. satisfy our claims without any direct con-
resslon 10 Hs- by separate negotiation with Hon
dnraS so long as the end was ACCOMPLISHED and
the Islands restored To their proper owner we had
lao objection To make. and only reioiced tLsI so
honorable and satisfactory means of adjusting
the dimculty had been devised The 1 ondo6
papers az the time were of the same opinion and
thought that the REIMBURSEMENT of some worth
less islands The title of which was more than
doubtful was a cheap price to pay for the settle
ment of a tangled and embarrassing dispute
" The claim that the Bay Islands were sDeciaI-
~ exempted from the application of the CIovton
Bulwer Treaty, being the small islands In the
eighborhood of the Belize and known as its de-
pendencles,' TO which IL was agreed that the Dro
VISIONS Of the Convention should not extend Ia
obviously not tenable from the fact thar the most
southern part OF the Belize is than 100 miles
distant nom the more northern part of the Ray
Islands. and all doubt on the subject was removy
ed by despatch written by Sir George Grey. then
Colonial Secretary, in l-csG. to Mr. Coke Agent of
the Eastern coast OF Central America CONNER
claI and Agricultural COMPANY i'm which the
boundaries of the Belize are clearly defined and
which not only do not include the Bay Islands or
any OF them, but do not come within SIXTY miles
OF them Ia any direction Ii being Tins NANTES,
That the Bay Islands do not form any part of tho
dependencies, OF the Belize settlement a limit
tu nSnt 10 which for certain specified purnoseS
was granted TO Great Britain bv the fro,i,n %
spain In l7-3, and subsequently, confirmed in 1-o6
as they Were not specifically ceded by Spain nj |
any tlHie. ana as Honduras has never conveved |
them and has always protested against the Rrifsb
pretenslons TO their possession IL WIS NOT unrea
sTa1le ttat the Government of the United States
ftnR
loS2, creating the colony of the Bav Islands ,
violation Of the Treaty Of July a. 1850, by which
.he United states and Great Britain agreed never
tO occupy, or IOTtlfy or COLOMBO. or assume or
exercise any dominion over Nicarasru, Costa
hlGa, OF The Mosquito Coast, any part Of Cen
70 Honduras while Great Britain reserves a pro-
tecung power over the colony and dictates the
-aaure OF the INSTITUTIONS which Honduras is to
eStaDiish, amounts practically TO cesson at all
and - open to the same OBJECTIONS on the nort ~
inns country as the pretended British sovereignty
by virtue OF Colonel McDonald'S seizure of az
islands. II il be admitted that Hondur,s g. sn
tiueu 10 Tie possession Of the isan,is-tbat they
are and always have been geogranhic1thv aud
attached TO honduras,-what possible
Iieht can HIedt Britain have 10 make her aban
donment TO the lawful owner of TIA. IN ,.tich g.
never had any right, the ground cor inteTfa,inr
W., d;n,,, andlrs OF an Independent State
anu dlctduny now the Restored territory shouI5
he governed At all eveHts how can n ;yaa, -,
ain expect that the Caitea States will ioi, a. a.
onN ikbtSiI PATE IN the dictation
Honduras thinks proper 10 exclude negro sI.v.,,
from Suataa and the other islands on her coast. |
W. have no disposition 10 disaPprove her ,leeision'
and no right to intei fere and If ON tLa c,ti, /
hand, she thinks IL conducive to her Interests 10
establish negro SeTYiiUde, neither the United
States nor Great britain has any power TO prevent
her. without an understandable violation OF her
Independence Us i sovereign State
" IL the alleged cause of the rejection of the
treaty by the British Government prove TO be |
correct we may regret that the controversy be-
&c
tha four ears have been spent in fruitless npyo-
tauOn but Our Government are free from all re- /
failure, either from want Of good faith and \ sin
ceIe anxiety to adjust the diticulty in a manner
10 All parties, or from too unyieldng
"Nheiebce 10 their own views and opinions
rosr OFFICE DEPAErMENr.-Nesc Offices
S'aofiShea-OiI Store Office, Chesterfield
S"an'y' . U, Hiram Evans, Postmaster: Peru.
JEFFERSON county, Ga, L. Rcsenthal. Postmas.
yer, west Point, King William county. Va.