New-York tribune., 1884-12-18
THE NTCAR1GTI 7REITr.

The text of the Nicaragua Treaty, which we
publ,sh this morning. opens FOR pubic uiscus
sion questions of supreme Importance Doih
the House Of Representatives anu the hhefichh
peoplc now have for the first time the oppol-
tuuitv of expressing their Judgment upon one
If thp largest issues Of National policy, hhd ol
considering ~ detail some ol The most complex
and intricate problems of international law "
l. a ptiyilrpo which ought io be used nnd not
nlmArd, Thr convention ought nnt 10 lbs con
do,nncd without careful consideration hhd d".
lihefn,o reflection nor ought II toh Advocated
and defended with wcciiilnlc hhAlr iir'
mniufo iudgmrnta, hnsel upon inadequate
knowledge and partial inycsllM'iohoi ~" sup'
ior, should be- scnlpnlonsly avoided lhr
treaty should be discussed dspnialohniciy ana
= ,heliy, and be regarded by all pali"lic
citizens ~ u National question OF importance
and not as Il question of party or ~ an Issue AZ
f,cting the fortunes of either the present or the
incoming Administration. 1t Is Il many -'l"c"
subject having diplomatic, international, con-
tncntal, National, commercial and cconon'"
phases.
The treaty provides for the construction,
maintenance and control of an intcroceanlc
canal across the territory of Nicaragua. II Is
TO be Government and not corpo-
ration enterprise. The United States Gov
crment will furnish the capital re-
ouired Tor constructing the canal and
both governments will own and control the
waterway. The United States Will have full
mower to select the route and the entrance
works and to arrange all the practical details
Of constructions the establishment of railway
...io hp
necessary engineering works. At the same
time, ilc United state, will assume the rcspon-
siblity of defending the territory through
which the email passes. Article II. provides
that "therc shall be perpetual alliance between
the United States of America and the kcpuD-
lie of Nicarlgna, and the former agree TO pro-
tcct the integrity of the territory ol thc
lattcrn This is an obligation which
has never before been incurred by the United
States Government. The Monroe doctrine has
been the traditional policy of the country but
il has never before been practically embodied
in a prOiect0ratc over the territory OF another
Power. Nor has the Government ever under
taken an enterprise OF such magnitude III It's
own. and much less in foreign territory.
Propcsitions of such gravity will undoubt-
edly have a SOLDERING effect upon public discus
sion. The protests and criticisms that VIII I'M
mediatcly follow from Europe, and especially
from France and England, will tend to impose
restraint and caution upon all uttcranccs of
the American press The British Government
will fall back upon the Clayton bulwer treaty
and charge the Administration with acting in
direct violation of its provisions. 1t Is
true that Secretary Frcinghnyscn has
"a. t,-it Ia | f,t.l
Granville that England has already broken
through that treaty ON the Mosquito Coast and
that consequently the United States may abro-
gate that convention whenever 1t may
see fit to do So. Lord Granville, how
/ ever hls never conceded the validity
of Mr.. Frclmghuysens reasoning and has
invariably held that the treaty in question
retains all its obligatory force. We do not
say that these prctcnsions are to be
hastily conceded IA well grounded. But
Il Is only prudent to face the Tact
from the outset tha, the Government
will be- involved IN long and bitter cnntio-
yclpy with Great Britain. flaucc nlso Will
have bitter icciimnntions Ia reserve ioi n
Government that is 10 build an alternative and
ahnrirr canal .loulc ncioaH the aihmua,
lhrn ,hrtc tcmainn the general aucnlion OF
the freedom and naturalization OF the
canal. IN tho discussion of which
every European power viii claim u
right 10 participate, On tins point the Anori-
can Government Will occupy under the
treaty an extreme position wholly at Nail-
ance with the European canons regulating
the naturalization OF water ways like
the Suez Canal. Ii will claim the right
to fOitify the entrances of the Canal
and to close at its discretion the channel
against vessels of war OF all foreign
nations. A nation that can take 80 strong Il
position as this must have IA powerful navy,
and it must also be in readiness for military
emergencies. All these considerations increase
the gravity Of the great public question which
is now definitely before the country