The Feliciana Democrat., 1858-12-25
NO. 33.
Tge fslitiana 9emotrat.
ABROGATlON OF THE CLAYTON-BULWER
TREATY-CHANGE OF POLICY.

OF an abrogaton of the Clayton.Buwer treaty.
We regret the change of policy Never was
n proposition received with greater favor. ei.
ther by Congress or the country, than was elic.
tied by the movement of Mi. Clngman in "a.
vor of the rennnciation of the engagements
which this Government contracted under that
mischicvons convention. The Clayton Bulwer
treaty has been the prolific source Of innumer.
able troubles Instead of composing the diff.
Guilty to which it was directed, it became itself
the origin of further and more embarrassing
complications. But apart from this accident.
al operation, it was absolutely and in the sense
Of the American construction, m illadvs, d
and mpolitic convention 1t involved the re.
cognition Of an equ,lty of influence between
England aud the United States, in the affairs
Of the Central American States 1t conceded
to Great Britain the same control over the
Isthmian transts which we claim for ourselves
in virtue OF our dominant interests in the gulf
and the necessity of unobstructed communica.
ton with our Pacific possession Above all,
it bound this country to nonprogressive and
selfdestructive policy, by an engagement
against expansion in the very direction whth.
er the interests of geographical development
impel MS. A treaty so absurd in its conception
and so adverse to the interests of the Republic.
should not have been permitted to discredit
our diplomacy moment longer that we were
obliged to observe it by respect for our char
acter Fortunately an opportunity for its re.
peal was offered in the very instant Of its exc.
cuton. No sooner did the parties begin to in.
sist upon its fulfllnent than they discovered
they understood it in opposite senses. The diff.
ference in construction was essential, and inca.
pable of reconciliation. The various readingp
was beyond the sagacity of the most expert
critics in the language of diplomacy What
was the logical inference? That the parties
would unite in the abrogation Of q treaty which,
SO far from accomplishing its object, was pro.
vocative Of the very dispute it was intended to
accommodate The American Government, in
any event. was glad to evail itself of the pretext
gagemcnt Accordingly, the President recon-
mended the abrogaton Of the Clayton Bulwer
treaty, and Congress were prepared to respond
to the suggestion. But, before the repeal was
consummated the session closed and the issue
is again before the country
For some reason not distinctly cbnmunica.
ted in his message the President no longer
urges the abrogation of the Clayton. Bulwer
treaty; but instead he suggests that Great Brit.
ain be allowed to adjust the controversy By
separate conventions with the States of Central
America.
The objections to this policy are evident and
unanswerable. In the first place. it rejects an
opportunity Of escape from most absurd and
embarrassing engagement, 1t implies delib
crate sanction of the principle OF European in.
tervcntion in the affairs of the Isthmus And,
lastly, it gives Great Britain scope and occa
sion for the subjugation Of the Central Ameri.
can States, by the agency of her most adroit
and INSCRIPTIONS diplomacy
At last the mystery of Gore Ouseley's mis-
sion is cleared up The designs ofthat enig.
NAUTICAL parsonage are now revealed in the light
of an authoritative disclosure His soiourn in
this city, with its incidents of country entertain.
ments, and assiduous attendance at the White
House, was employed in an fort unfortunate.
ly not an unsuccessful efort--to persuade the
President TO renonuce the idea of annu!ing the
Clayton-Buwer treaty and to substitute the
policy of reliance on the good faith Of British
diplomacy for a solution of the Central Amer
lean difficulty. The United States are not to
assert all exclusive nor even dominant inhu.
e.lce upon the Isthmus. The ignominy of
dsgraceful convention is not to he obliterated
from the national reputation But the field is
to be opened for the nnobstructed operation Of
British intrgne England is to establish an as
tendency to Central America, and the United
States are to acqniesce in an expulsion from
the theatre Of their development, 1t is a de.
porable change Of policy, as the President him.
self will be perSu ded when Gore Ouscley an.
nounces the consummation of his enterprise,
and when the American people come to express
their opinion of the matter
Already we have premoniton of the pop
ular judgment in the action Of the House OF
Representatives on the proposition to repeal the
Clayton. Bulwer treaty. The resolution of the
last session. reported by Mr.. Clingman, was
called up on Tuesday, ard motion to lay it
on the table was negatiVed by vote OF the
majority twas then rcommitted to the CON-
mittee Of the Whole Oh the state Of the Union,
with view to the correction Of some defect
in its phraseology This reference implies no
doubt of its ultimate passage. On the contra.
ry, we have little apprehension that Congress
will shrink back from the responsibility Of its
deliberate suggestion that the interests of the
country demand the repeal OF the Clayton-B Bul'
wer treaty.