Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-12-18

din IN lis original fOFul, We eubuiu nave n
been bound to"recognise and respect in all
future time" these stipulations TO the
prejudice Of Honduras. Being in direct
opposition to the spirit and meaning of
the Clayton and Bulwer treaty as under
stood in the United States, the Senate re-
je cted the entire clause, and substituted in
ite stead simple recognition of the SOW
ereign right of Honduras to these islands
in the following language 4" The two
contracting parties do hereby mutually |
engage to recognise and respect the is
lands Ruaian, Bonaco. Utila, Barbaretta,
Helena and Morat, situate in the Bay of
Honduras, and off the coast of the re-
public of Honduras as under the sover-
ereignty and is part of the said repub-
lie of Honduras"
Great Britain rejected this amend
ment, assigning as the only reason that
/ the Tatifcations of the convention on the
9th August, 1856, between her and
| Honduras, had not been exchanged,
owing to the hesitation of that govern
ment." Had this been done, ii is stated
that her Majesty's government would
have had little difficulty in agreeing to
| the modification proposed by the Senate,
which then would have had in effect the
same signification as the original word
ing. Whether this would have been the
effect, whether the mere circumstance of
the exchange of the ratifcations of the
British convention with Honduras prior
in point of time to the ratification of our
treaty with Great Britain would " in effect,
have had :" the same signifcation as the
original wording" and thus have nullitied
the amendment of the Senate, may we'll
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 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 con-
sent to add to the Senate's clear and un-
qualified recognition of the sovereignty
of Honduras over the Bay Islands the
, following conditional stipulation: When
ever and so soon as the Republic Of Hon
duras shall have concluded and ratified a
treaty with Great Britain, by which
; Great Britain shall have cedcd, and the
Republic of Honduras shall have accept
ed, the said islands, subject to the pro-
: visions and conditions contained in such
treaty"
= This proposition was rejected. After
D the Senate had refused to recognise the
: British convention with Honduras of the
Z 9th August, 1856, with full knowledge
j of its contents, it was impossible for me
: necessarily ignorant of " the provision:
4 and conditions which might be contain.
e ed in future convention between the
e same parties, TO sanction them in ad,
e vance.
n The fact is that when two nations like
Y Great Britain and the United States, mu
: tually desirous, as they are, and | trus
d ever may be, of maintaining the mos
friendly relations with each other, have
l. unfortunately concluded treaty whicl
o they understand in senses directly oppo
E, site, the wisest course is to abrogate sucl
l. treaty by mutual consent and com
Is mence anew. Had this been don
+, promptly. all difficulties in Central Amer
i ica would most probably ere this hav
C. been adjusted to the satisfaction of bot
al parties. The time spent in discussing
4 the meaning of the Clayton and Bulwe
h treaty would have been devoted thi
Is praiseworthy purpose, and the task woul
r have been more easily accomplished be
r cause the interest of the two countries i
n- Central America is identical, being cor
f. fined to securing safe transmits over a
Id the routes across the lsthmus.
N Whilst entertaining these sentiments,
n shall, nevertheless, not refuse to eontr
Ir butte to any reasonable adjustment of tn
n Central American questions which is NJ
Sc practically inconsistent with the Amer
ls can Interpretation of the treaty. Ovei
lie lures for this purpose have been recen
he ly made by the British government, in
ds friendly spirit, which l cordially recipr,
a cate but whether this renewed effo
OF will result in success ] am not yet pre-
tic pared 10 express an opinion. A brief p
as. riod will determine.
ry With France our ancient relations
b. friendship still continue to exist. III
he French government have in several r
.u- cent instances, evinced a spirit of go'
in will and kindness towards our count
nd which heartily reciprOcate. Il is nc
art withstanding, much to be regretted th
two nations whose productions are
IN such a character as to invite the most e
lu- tensive exchanges and freest eommerci
nd intercourse, should continue to enfor
to ancient and obsolete restrictions OF ira
IN against each other. Our commerce
de- treaty with France is in this respect
out exception from our treaties with all 9th
aid commercial nations. 1t jealously levi
EN- discriminating duties both on tonnage a
md on articles, the growth, produce or ma
ov- ufacture of the one country, when ar
ire. wing in vessels belonging TO the other.
by More than forty years ago, on the
ent of March, 1915, Congress passed an
ey- Offering to all nations to admit their "
ON sells laden with their national productiC
ept into the ports Of .he United States up
.lso the same terms with our own yesse
ing provided they would reciprocate to
ec- similar advantages. This act eonfI
ion the reciprocity to the productions Of
ded respective foreign nations vino mi