Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-08
Our Relations with Nicaragua.

The United States and Great Britain are
at length brought face to face on the subject
of Nicaraguan affairs. England has managed
her part of the business, with holiness and
| duplicity, while the United States has done
her part without energy and without caution
1t is quite easy to conjecture which gains the
| advantage. About year and a half ago our
Secretary of State entered into negotiations
with the Nicaraguan Minister, Irisarri, and
agreed upon the provisions of treaty, which
were just and proper, and so regarded by the
Nations in general. By delay quite unrea-
sonable and unnecessary, Nicaragua failed to
ratify the treaty, and still fails up TO this time
- though offering no serious objection to any
of its provisions. To this delay the United
States have submitted in silence, content only
with avowing n determination to protect the
rights and interests of American citizens in
that country. In the meantime England
sends to Nicaragua, one of her shrewdest d.
plomatists who takes the United States on
his way thither, and stops for several months
at Washington. He was made fully acquain-
ted with the provisions OF the Cass- Yrisarri
treaty aud was satisfied Herewith. 1t was
his protested object to negotiate similar one
for his own government, and as an evidence
of his sincerity, communicated through the
British Minister at Washington, the outlines
of the treaty which he proposed, being al
most "A literal transcript OF the Cass- frisarri
treaty. In due time the British Ncaraguan
O. IaI
Washington to Nicaragua. and after further
delay of several months, il is announced that
he has concluded treaty in which England
binds herself to furnish q military force for
the expulsion of ilibusters, whenever called
upon by Nicaragua. This treaty is ratified
by the Nicaraguan government, and that with
the United States rejected.
The French have also had a finger in the
pie, and while the solution Of the Monroe doc
trine has been left to England. Mons. BELLY
has obtained contract for opening an inter
oceanic canal transit. This was alleged to
be an individual enterprise, and was scarcely
deemed worthy Of serious consideration. But
il turns oul that just at the moment Of the rati-
turns up with corps of engineers to survey
the proposed transit route; and after what
has come to light il is not TO be doubted that
he will be protected by the French govern
ment In all the rights he may possess. Ii is
altogether likely that the English and French
governments have been united from the be-
ginning ia a scheme TO overreach the United
States In the matter Of the transit and the
policy of European interference in the Affairs
OF American governments-each taking a
share aud both ready TO aid in prosecuting
the common design. At least, the indiea-
:ions. 80 far, warrant the conclusion. IL this
hypothesis proves TO be true the relations, be-
tween these governments will have assumed
a most serious aud threatening attitude. The
settlement of the differences between England
and the United States, in the construction OF
the Clayton Buiwer treaty will now be fore
ed 10 q settlement one way or the other-and
the still broader question as TO whether this
eauutr, viii s,sert aad maintain, even at the
eannon's mouth. the Monroe doctrine In lis
popular aeeeptailon. may present occasion Tor
a decisive answer.
The two countries have had these matters
under advisemsnt for the past nine years,
and they are farther from an amieabls adj
justment than ever. The course Of the Uni-