Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-12-18
IRAsBURGH, VERMONT, FRIDAY. DECEMBER IS, 1857.

! 1he dlpiomatlc ulnicutlcs Whlcn eX-
/ isted between the government of the /
United States and that of Great Britain |
at the adjournment of the last Congress
have been happily terminated by the ap-
pointment of a British Minister to this
country, who has been cordially received.
Whilst it is greatly to the interest, as
am convinced it is the sincere desire, of
the governments and people of the two
countries to be on terms of intimate friend
ship with each other, il has been our mis-
fortune almost always to have had some
irrigating, if not dangerous, Outstanding
Question with Great Britain.
Since the origin of the government we
have been employed in negotiating trea-
ties with that Power, afterwards in dis
cussing their true intent and meaning -
In this respect the convention of April
l9, 1850, commonly called the Clayton
Bolwer treaty, has been the most unfor-
tunate of all because the two govern
ments place directly opposite and contra
dictory constructions upon its first and
| most important article. While in the
: United States, we believed that this trea-
ty would place both Powers upon an ex-
5 act equality by the stipulation that nei-
r ther will ever occupy, or fortify, or
colonize, or assume, or exercise any do
, minion " over any part Of Central Amer
E ica, it is contended by the British gov
ernment that the true construction of this
: language has left them in the rightful
possession of all that portion of Central
America which was in their occupancy
at the date of the treaty; in fact that the
treaty is virtual recognition on the part
of the United States of the right of Great
Britain, either as owner or protector, to
the whole extensive coast of Central A
, merica, sweepinground from the Rio Hon
do to the port and harbor of San Juan de
! Nicaragua, together with the adjacent
E Bay Islands, except the comparatively
small portion of this between the Sars-
toon and Cape Honduras According to
their construction, the treaty doespo more
a than simply prohibit them from extend.
ing their possessions in Central America
a beyond the present limits. 1t is not toe
+ much to assert, that if in the United
. States the treaty had been considered
a susceptible of such construction, it new
er would have been negotiated under the
: authority of the President, nor would il
I have received the appreciation of tht
q Senate. The universal conviction in the
" United States was, that when our gov,
: ernment consented to violate its tradi
. tional and time honored policy, and IL
stipulate with foreign government nev
er to occupy or acquire territory in tbs
! Central American portion of its owl
continent, the consideration for this sac
. rifce was that Great Britain should, ii
: this respect at least, be placed in th'
same position with ourselves. While VI
> have no right to doubt the sincerity ofth
. British government in their construction
. of the treaty, it is at the same time m
'' deliberate conviction that this construc
{ ton is in opposition both to its letter an
- y its spirit.
VI Under the late administration negotia
III tions were instituted between the tw
IL governments for the purpose, if possible
. of removing these difficulties, and trea
lHe H ty having this laudable object in view wa
10 signed at London on the 18th October
~ = 1856, and was submitted by the Pres
: Us dent of the Senate on the following De
:; lo Whether this treaty, either in its origini
III or amended form, would have accomplish
ed the object intended without giving birt
on to new and embarrassing complication
es between the two governments, may pc
he haps be well questionable by the diffe
re- ent amendments made to it by the Sci
by ate. The treaty, as amended, was ratii
nix ed by me on the 18th March, 1857, an
TO was transmitted to London for ratificatic
lat by the British government, that govern
nd ment expressed its willingness to concI
Tor in all the amendments made by the Sci
on ate, with the single exception of the clau
de relating to Ruatan and the other ISLAM
To- in the Bay of Honduras. The artic
ey in the original treaty, is submitted to Il
!, Senate, after recitng that these ISLAM
7k- and their inhabitants having been by
te- convention, bearing date the 9th day
Sc August, 1856, between her BRITAIN
pc Majesty and the Republic of Hondur;
constituted and declared free Terrific
the under the sovereignty of the said Repu
aw, lie of Honduras" stipulated that " t
Ons two contracting parties do hereby NUT
/ ally engage TO recognise and respect
his all future time the independence a
mic rights of the said free Territory as p'
us of the Republic OF Honduras"
lce Upon an examination of this convt
,re- ton between Great Britain and Homo
,er- ras of the 27th August, 1856, it was fou
S to that whilst declaring the Bay Islands
fe. be a +" free territory under the sOvereis
cir ty of the republic of Honduras" it {
fed prived that republic of rights with'
hey which its sovereignty over them COZ
iout scarcely be said to exist. 1t divided tn
= from the remainder of Honduras, a
pro- gave to their inhabitants separate g
adj ernment of their own, vita legislatu
and executive and judicial officers, elected
'ans themselves. 1t Itdeprived the governm
With of Honduras of the taxing power in
cry form, and exempted the people fr
uch the performance of military duty exc
re it for their own exclusive defense. 1t a
tiles prohibited that republic from erect
ord, fortifcations upon them for their prot
the tion-lhus leaving them open to inyas
the from any quarter land, finally, II proyli