The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-12-16
CAD1z OHIO. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER io, 1857.

tleir appropriate sphere, and prevent them from
administering to the spirit Of wild and reckless
speculation by extravagant lolns and issues,
they might be continued with advantage to the
public.
But this say, after long and much reflection:
if experience shall prove it timpossibIe to enjoy
the facilities which well regulated banks might
afford, without at the same time suffering the
calamities which the exceSses Of the banks have
hitherto inflicted upon the country, it would be
far the lesser evil to deprive them altogether Of
the power to issue paper currency and contine
them to the functions OF banks of deposit and
discount
Our relations with foreign governments are,
Upon the whole, in a satisfactory condition,
The diplomatic difficulties which existed be-
tween the government of the United States and
that Of Great Britain at the adjournment of the
last Congress have been happily terminated by
the appointment Of British minister to this
country, who has been cordially received.
Whilst it is greatly to the interest, as l am
convinced. it it the sincere desire, Of the govern
mentS and people Of the two countries to be on
terms of intimate friendship with each other it
has been our misfortune almost always to have
had some irritating, if not dangerous, outstand-
ing question with Great Britain.
Since the origin of the government we have
been employed in negotiating treaties with that
power, and afterwards in discussing their true
intent and meaning. In this respect, the con-
vention of April 10, 1850, commonly called the
Clayton and Bulwer treaty; has been the most
unfortunate Of all; because the two govern
ments place directly opposite and contradictory
constructions upon its first and most important
article.
Whilst in the United States, we believe that
this treaty would place both powers upon an
exact equality by the stipulation that neither
will ever occupy, or fortify colonize, or assume
or exercise any dominion over, any part Of
Central America, it is contended by the British
government that the true construction of this
language has left them in the rightiul possession
ofall that portion Of CentralAmerica which was
in their occupancy at the date Of the treaty; in
fact, that the treaty is a virtual recognition on
the part Of the United States of the right oil
right Of Great Britain, either as owner or pro.
tector, to the whole extensive coast of Central
America, sweeping round from the Rio Hondo
to the port and harbor of San Juan de Nicarag-
ua, together with the adjacent Bay islands, ex-
cept the mporatively small portion Of this be-
tween the Sarstoon and Cape Honduras. Ac-
Cording to their construction, the treaty does nc
more than simply prohibit them from extend.
ing their possessions in Central America beyond
the present limits. 1t is not too much to as
sert, that ifin the United States the treaty had
been considered susceptible of such a construc-
ton, it never would have been negotiated under
the authority Of the President, nor would il
have received the appreciation of the Senate
The universal opinion in the United States was
that when our government consented to violate
its traditional and time honored policy, and tC
stipulate with foreign government never to oc
oupy or acquire Territory in the Central Ameri
can portion ofour own continent, the consider
alton for this sacrifice was that Great Britain
should in this respect at least, be placed in thu
same position with ourselves. Whilst. we havt
no right to doubt the sincerity Of the British
government in their construction of the treaty
it is at the same time my deliberate conviction
that this construction is in opposition both tt
its letter and its spirit.
! Under the late administration negotiation
were instituted between the two government
for the purpose if possible, ofremoving these diff
| ticulties; and treaty having this laudable OBJ
ject in view was signed in London on the 18th O
October 1859, and was submitted by the Presi
dent to the Senate on the following 10th Of De
cember. Whether this treaty, either in its or
| iginal or amended form, would have accomplish
ed the object intended without giving birth Il
new and embarrassing complications between
the two governments, may perhaps be well ques
toned Certain it is, however, it was rendered
much less Objectionable by the different amend
ments made to it by the Senate. The treaty
as amended, was ratified by me on the 10Th o
March, 1857, and was transmitted to Londor
for ratification by the British government. Tha
government expressed its willingness to concur
in all the amendments made by the Senate will
the single exception Of the claus relating to Ru
atan and the other islands in the Bay of Hondu
ras. The article in the original treaty, as sub
mitted to the Senate after reciting that thes
islands and their inhabitants "having been qy
convention bearing date the 9th day fAugust
1856, between her Britannia Majesty and the re
public of Honduras constituted and declared
a free territory under the sovereignty of tn
said republic of Honduras" stipulated that ''tn
two contracting parties do hereby mutually en-
gage to recognize and and respect in all futur
ture time the independence and rights of tn
said free territory as part Of the republic 9
| Honduras"
Upon an examination of this convention b
tween Great Britain and Honduras of the 27tl
August, 1856 it was found that, whilst declar
ing the Bay Islands to be "a free territory unde
the sovereignty of the republic of Honduras"
deprived that republic ofrights without whic
its sovereignty over them could scarcely be sal
to exist. 1t divided them from the remainde
Of Honduras and gave to their inhabitants sep
arate government Of their own, with legislativ
executive and judicial officers elected by them
selves Itdeprlved the government of Hondu
ras of the taxing power in every form, and eS
|, empted the people ofthe islands from the per
formance ofmilitary duty except for their ow
exclusive defence 1t also prohibited that re
public from erecting ortifcations upon them fc
their protection--thls leaving them open to In
vasion from any quarter; and finally it provide
"that slavery shall not at any time hereafter
permitted to exist therein"
Had Hondu us ratified this convention, 81
would have ratified the establishment ofa Stat
substantially independent within her own lin
its, and State at all times subject to Brtis
influence and control. Moreover, had the Un
ted States ratified the treaty with Great Bri
in original form, we should have been bound [
recognize and respect in all future time' the'
stipulations to the prejudice OF Honduras. b
ing in direct opposition to the spirit and mcar
ing of the Clayton and Bulwer treaty as unde
stood in the United States the Senate rejecte
the entire clause, and substituted in its stead
simple recognition ofthe sovereign right Of Hoi
dorus to these islands in the following languag
"The two contracting partiesdo hereby mutt
ally engage to recognize and respect the islant
Ruatan, Bonaco, Ttila, Barbaretta, Helena, an
Morat, situated in the Bay of Honduras, and Q
the coast Of the republic ofHonduras"
| Great Britain rejected this amendment, a
signing as the only reason, that the ratification
Of the convention Of the 9th August, 1855, b
tween her and Honduras, had not been ''es
changed owing to the hesitation Of the govern
! n,entu Had this heen done II il stated ths