The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-12-18

10 tuclT luHaUiLAnts u scphotc So'Sah
ment of their own, with Legislative, eI'
ccutive, and judicial officers, elected by
themselves. 1t deprived the government
of Honduras Of the taxing power in every
form, and exempted the people Of the isl.
ands from the performance Of military
duty, except for their own exclusive de-
fence. 1t also prohibited that republic
from erecting fortifcations upon them for
their protection-thus leaving them open
to invasion from any quarter; and finally
1t provided "that slavery shall not at any
time hereafter be permitted to exist there
in"
Had Honduras ratified this convention,
she would have ratified the establishment
Of State substantially independent with.
in 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 origi-
nal form, we should have been bound ITO
recognize and respect in all future time
these stipulations to the prejudice Of Hon
duras. Being in direct opposition to the
spirit and meaning Of the Clayton and
Bulwer treaty as understood in the Uni
ted States, the Senate rejected the entire
clause, and substituted in its stead sim
pie recognition Of the sovereign right Of
Honduras to these islands in the following
language: .The two contracting parties
do hereby mutually engage to recognize
and respect the islands Of Ruatan, Bonaco,
Utila, Barkarctta, Helena, and Morat, sit
uatcd in the Bay Of Honduras, and of
the coast of the republic of Honduras, 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 rat
ification OF the convention Of the 9th
August, 1856 between her and Hondu
ras, had not been exchanged, owing to
the hesitation of that government" Had
this been done, it is stated that her Maj
csty's government would have had little
difficulty in agreeing to the modification
by the Senate, which then would
have had, in effect, the same Specification
as the original wording" Whether this
would have been the etfect--whethcr the
mere circumstance of the exchange Of the
ratification of the British convention with
Honduras prior in point Of time TO the
ratification of our treaty with Great Bri-
tain would, ain effect" have had the
same Specification as the original wording"
and thus have nullified the amendment
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, pro-
posed to enter into new treaty with the
United States similar in all respects to the
treaty whicl, they had just refused to rat
ify, ifthc United States would consent to
add to the Scnatc's clear and unqualified
recognition ofthc sovereignty Of Honduras
over the Bay Islands the following condi.
tional stipulation: "Whcnevcr and so
soon as the Republic Of Honduras shall
have concluded and ratified a treaty with
Great Britain, by which Great Britain
shall have ceded, and the republic Of Hon.
duras shall have accepted, the said islands,
subject to the provisions and conditions
contained in such treaty"
This proposition was, Of course, reject
cd. After the Senate had refused TO rec
ognize the British convention with Hon
duras of the 9th of August, 1856, with
full knowledge Of its contents, it was i'm
possible for me, necessarily ignorant OF
"thc provisions and conditions" which
might be contained in q 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, mu-
tually dcsirous, as they are, and trust
ever may be, Of maintaining the most
friendly relations with each other, have
unfortunately concluded treaty which
they understood in senses directly oppo.
site, the wiscst course is to abrogatc such
a treaty by mutual consent, and to COM
mcncc anew. Had this been done prompt
ly, all difficulties in Central America
would most probably ere this have been
adjusted to the satisfaction Of both par
ties. 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 more easily accomplished, be-
cause the interest Of the two countries in
Central America is identical, being con-
fined to securing safe transits over all the
routes across the Isthmus.
Whilst entertaining these sentiments,
l shall, nevertheless, not refuse to con-
tribute to any reasonable adjustment OF
the Central American questions which is
not practically inconsistent with the
American Interpretation OF the treaty.
Ovcrtures for this purpose have been re-
Gently made by the British government,
in a friendly spirit, which I cordially re-
ciprocate; but whether this renewed ef.
fort will result in success, ! am not yet
prepared to express an opinion. a brici
period will determine.
OUR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEAN NATIONS.
With France our aucicnt 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
reciprocate. It is Notwithstanding, much
to be regretted that two nations whose
productions are of such q character rs to
invite the most extensive exchanges and
frccst commercial intercourse, should con-
tinuc to enforce ancient and obsolete re-
strictions Of trade against each other
Our commercial treaty with France is in
this respect an exception from our treat
les with all other commercial nations
1t jealonsly leyies discriminating duties
both on tonnage and on articles, the
growth, produce, or manufacture Of the
one country. when arriving i'm vessels be-