New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-28
4 DEAD TREATY.

There are treaties which expire by limitation,
treaties that arc abrogated by one or both of
the contracting Powers, and treaties which die
of hamilton. TO the latter class belongs the
CLAYTON Bulwer Treaty between the United
States and Great Britain. 1t IS as dead as it
well could be-sO dead III fact that there were
few people in this country or England who knew
of its existence until the Panama Canal project
caused some one to dig 1t out Of the dusty
archives of the past. The men who negotiated
it are in their graves, and the circumstances
that led to its adoption have all passed away,
so that the musty document has no vitality o.
applicability to the present time. 1t is techni-
cally alive, however for it has never formally
been abrogated and lest it should be appealed
to by the British Government for the purpose
of making our attitude toward an interOce anic
canal appear equivOca, the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs has brought in resolution
requesting the President to take steps for def
niey putting it to rest.
When the treaty was negotiated, Zachary
Taylor was President, and John NJ. Clayton,
the great Wing statesman Of Delaware, was
Secretary of State. The discovery of gold in
California had stimulated q number Of Ameri-
can enterprises for canals and railways
through Mexico, Central America and the 18TH
mus. and it was thought u good thing, in view
of England's filibustering pTOpensties, to bind
her to keep her hands off the narrow strip of
country between the two oceans, on condition
Of orr taking a like obligation upon ourselves.
So the treaty was rattle |. 1t pledges the two
Governments never to erect or maintain any
Notifications commanding or in the ncighbOr-
hood OF any ship canal, or to occupy, fOriify OF
assume to exercise any domination over the
Nicaragua, Costa Rica or Mosquito Coast, or
any part of South America. The ink was
scarcely dry upon the document before Great
Britain took possession of the Bay Islands OFT
the coast of Honduras. and claimed the right
to do so under a clause in the treaty confirming
to her the territory she had already acquired on
that coast. There was sharp debate i'll the
Senate and good deal of clustering talk about
war. in which Lewis Cass took the lead, but
nothing came of it all. The allegation was
made that the clause in question had been in
tcrpoated in the treaty after its ratification by
the Senate, and some charges were made
against Mr.. Clayton. A year later he returned
to the Senate, having resigned the State port
folio soon after the death of Taylor, and made
n speech which was generally accepted as clear
ing MIN lIOu III JuoJ ouol'l"iuh III Wiz haCICl'
The treaty never was popular, although de-
Tended at the time Oh the ground that it COM
mitted Great Britain to an acceptance Of the
Monroe doctrine. 1t has long outllyed its use
funess, if it ever had any, and might us well be
consigned ut once to the limbo of historical rub
bish. This Nation would not for u moment
allow itself to be fettered by it if an occasion
should arise for defending our interests.n Cen
trail America or upon the Isthmus of Panama.