Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-20
MONDAY MORNING, DEC. go, 1855.
C ENTRAL AMERICAN DIPL0MACY--STATE
OF THE GAME.


1t is no evidence of stupidity not to under
stand our mixed and complicated relations with
the Central American governments. The
spectators and the diplomats of the last ten
years, have woven web which it will take
more than ten years wholly to unravel Let us
see if plain statement may be made of it,
1t has been the chief purpose of the United
States, throughout the negotiations to obtain
the control of the transit from the Gulf to the
Pacific, and of Nicaragua to fortify itself
against the depredations of filibusters and rob
bers. Within ten years nine treaties have
been made with these objects in view. The
first was between Elijah Hise, on the part of
the United States, and Selva, of Nicaragua.
1t secured to the former the exclusive right to
build and control for the facility of communi-
cation, and the benefit of commerce, canals,
roads, or railways across the territory of Mic
aragua. The consideration was that the Unit
ed States were to protect and defend Nicara-
qua in the exercise of the sovereignty and do
minion of all the country, ports, lakes, and
rivers, within the just and true boundaries of
part, ostensiby because it was signed after
Hse's removal though before Squier his sue
cessor, had arrived on the ground. Squier
made a treaty similar to Hise's, which was
sent to the Senate and swallowed up in its
jaws of death
Then came the famous Clayton-Bulwer
treaty, of April 18th, 1850 The Secretary
and the Minister thought they could easily ar
range matters, and produced the convention
for protecting the construction of ship canal
between the Atlantic and the Pacific, and for
Other purposes. One of the conditions was,
that the two governments, England and the
United States, should never erect or maintain
any Notifications commanding the transit; or
occupy, fortify, coloHize, or assume dominion
over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito
Coast or any part of Central America. An
exception in favor of Great Britain was made
of British Honduras, and its dependencies.
Whether the Bay Islands-the keys to the
Bay Of Honduras-were dependencies" in
the meaning of the treaty or not and whether
Great Britain forfeited by the terms of the
treaty the right to protect them, was the
subject of a long and unsatisfactory correspond
ence, in which it is generally conceded that
Bulwer was " too many" for Clayton, who at
last, became thoroughly disguised, went home
and died.
Then followed a shower of treaties, which,
instead of clearing up the matter, left it in
deeper fog than before. Costa RIGA and Near
aqua got into dispute about boundary line.
Webster and Champion entered into conven-
ton for the settlement of their differences
For some frivolous cause, their negotiations
were not ratified Then we had a treaty of
friendship, commerce and navigation" with
the Republic Of Costa Rica, and still another
with the Republic of Nicaragua. But the dis
order and anarchy incident to the invasion
by Walker and his murderEss a1Gz rendered
the relations Of the nations still critical. Great
Britain became alarmed about its power over
the Bay Islands, and attempted to make
treaty with Honduras, known as the Claren-
don-Herran treaty, granting certain immunities
to the Mosquito Indians, and establishing the
rights and claims of British subjects resident
in their midst Honduras, however, rebeled,
and the treaty was not ratified.
After the ballast Clarendon negotiation, of
1867, which also came to no positive result,
Gen. Cass took up the subject, and determin-
ed on final settlement The Cass-Yrissari
treaty is no more than the reproduction of the
original propositions of Elijah Hise, which
our government rejected. Nicaragua suggest
ed as modification, that the United States
should guaranty the absolute neutrality of
the route, and should prevent the formation in
the States, of expeditions against Nicaragua,
under any pretext whatever These modifca-
tons are not yet acceded to. Meanwhile, the
British government has sent a special envoy,
Sir VIM. Gore Ousely to Central America to
conclude treaties with all the powers with
which these disputes have so long been held
On the result Of the mission of Ousely, the
action Of this government will in some degree
depend. The secret of these complicated ne
gotiations may, we think, be stated in word.
Our government, which has manifested so deep
an interest in the Central American republics,
as to shoulder all their difficulties and settle
all their quarrels, have a covetous eye on their
territory, which by its position is the most val
liable on the continent. Whoever acquires it,
will control the commerce of the continent and
dictate terms to the trade of the world For
slighter temptations than this, nations have
been devastated with rapine and war, public
faith has been broken, and the reign of force
has taken the place of the reign of law. May no
evil genius of ayarice Or conquest tempt the