The Washington union., 1857-05-06
From the London Post, Apri Is
THE AMENDED DAIIAs-CLARENDoN TREATY
ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

THE AMENDED DAIIIAs-CLARENDoN TREATY
ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
The American newspapers which appear possess Soma
extraordinary Of athoming the mysteries Of dpo
macy have recently published the amended version Of
the DaasClarendon treaty The object of that treaty
IL is well known 10 settle, in friendly manner the
various questions which have arisen between the two co
tries relative TO Central America The American ministr
the Court of St. James applied himself the task in
consderate and eonciatory spirit and the treaty as
originally prepared, ceditable to 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 f TO accept the
version of cotempoaes appears to have been e1er
csed by that body in spirit not altogether friendly to
this country as we in England have right to expect
The general scheme of the treaty to settle the bound
aries of the States of Nicaragua and Costa Rica to set
apart territory for the Mosquito Indians and to provide
for tho appointment of commissioners to carry the pro-
visions of the treaty into effect BY article three the
Mosquito Indians within the territory limited 10 them
were be empowered 90 make laws and TO exercise thu
ordinary powers of government with respect TO all per
within the same, 10 such persons who had
connected themselves with them. The Senate have in
troduoed words which qualify the clause by excluding
British infuencea provision which be unnece
sary and mpolitic when the long connexon which has
subssted between England and the King OF Mouito
considered Next, the clause which proposed 20 confirm
all bona fds grants made by the government Of Mosquito
of lands heretofore possessed by the said Indiana and
lying beyond the limits of the prescribed territory
struck out and also the article by which Great Brit
ain and the United States to bind themselves
in the republics Of Nicaragua and Costa Rca
should refuse to accept the arrangements made by tbe
to propose consent any other arrange
Ia N, fba
These alterations may not be very important in them
selves but they nevertheless show the careful and deb
crate manner in which the Senate has endeavored 10
couneract British influence not only in the Mosquito ter
ritory but in Central America generally In the separate
articles which follow the treaty, alteration has been
made which will permit the extension of slavery to tho
Bay Islands, colony which Great Britain, by a recent
convention has ceded to the republic Of Honduras
The clause it originally stood, was, that the islands
and their inhabitants of Ruatan, &c situated in the
Bay of Honduras, having by convention dated in 1885,
been constituted and declared free territory under the
republic OF Honduras the two contracting parties mu
tually engage 10 recognise and respect in all future time
the independence and rights of the said free territory
part of the republic of Honduras" The convention
between England and Honduras expressly declared that
slavery should exist in the said free territory
The Senate however has introduced words which pro-
States may recognise the sovereignty of the Bay Islands
in Honduras without being bound by the express cond.
ton of the convention which prohibits slavery in those
islands No be surprised that when the Supreme
Court of the United States solennly pronounces de-
cision which procaims that free Of color can be
citizen of the American republic, the Senate should en-
deavor by every ingenious arce to promote the exten
sion Of slavery in region remote and insignificant
the Bay Islands territory. 1t rests with the govern
mcn of England to determine whether 1t will permit the
solemn engagement into which it has entered with Hon.
duras to be ignored at the dictaton of the Senate
1t would in reality seem that the South has embarked
in which must long be fatal 10 the permane
the Union The decision of the Supreme Court alto
gehcr ignores not only the articles of confederation but
the constitution of all the northern States In Massa
chsetts it has been decided that all persons Of color de-
scended from African slaves by the constitution Of 1880
made citizens of the Sate and that such of them as
have had the necessary qualifications have held and cxer
csed the elective franchise from that time to the present
The principle has been acted upon in New York,
New Hampshire Rhode Island and New Jersey
What position win the frce-colored population in
those States hold for the future They must either
remain outlaws, paying taxes but invested with no
political rights, or pass to Canada where un-
der English laws, they viii enjoy ample protection
and ample freedom. 1t is truly melancholy to witness
the Judiciary and Senate of great nation influenced bya
chronic policy which must degrade the name of republic
in the eyes of every Christian people 1t may be admitted
that slavery is curse involuntary legacy danaosa
hda which the southern States cannot readily remove
easily get rid of but that they should endeavor
tend the system into the free North and cndeayor to in
troduce it into few islands the coast of Central Amer
ica must afford matter Of deep and lasting regret to every
one who wishes well to the United States themselves
Before the Declaration Of Independence the free black
possessed the rights of British subject but under re-
public, however useful he may be member of society
he is consigned to political saveryo hopeless and ab
cct political degradation This contrast cannot fail to
suggestive az well as instructive.