The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-29


based upon the ground that sound Amer
lean policy requires is abrogstion -
cheek to possible British interference in
Nicaragua ~ or near the line Of the inter-
oceanic canal. II the cisyton-BaI
treaty imposes today the same obligations
upon Anerica Il did In 1850. then IL admits
Enxiard 30 equal partnership with our
selves u the political control OF the Mica
ragua canal. and our country would b
responsible 20 Great Britain for ocr pro
eeediugs With reference to an inser-oceanic
waterway which present American policy
requires TO be regarded ss Al American
enterprise. The Clayton Buiwer treaty Of
forty-four years ago vas predicated upcn
the supposed necessity Of English CO
operation In the construction OF the canal.
but a. matter Of fact the join. protector
ate Of the United States and Great Britain
over the canal. TO be bulls under the old
original concession Of is43 from Nicaragua
never existed. for the simple reason that
the canal thus contemplated never came
into being.
Engiand's own course In ignoring, NO
iasin1 snd practically repudiating the
obligations Of the Clayton-Bulver agree
msnt robs that instrument Of any binding
force upon tbs United States This Was
the view Of Secretary Of State Blaine when
he wrote in 1881 to Minister Lowell that
this convention was made more than
thirty years ago, under exceptional and
extraordinary conditions. which have long
ceased to exist: conditions which Ut best
we're temporary in their nature, and which
can never be reproduced"
Secretary Freiinghuysen, under Prssi-
dent Arthur in ics4, said; "The Clayton
Buiwsr treaty was voidabls 1t the option
of the United States. This. think, has
besn fully demonstrated In two grounds
First, that the consideration OF the treaty
having failed, its object never having been
accomplished. the United States did not
receive that for which they covenanted;
and. secondly, that Great Britain has per-
sisiently violated her agreement not to
colonixs the Central American coast"
The United States does not admit the
right of British interference with tho
American control of the Nicarsguan canal,
whether the Clayton Bulwer treaty 10 abb
rogated or not, but Senator Dolph proba-
bly, reasons that since the Clayton-BuIwer
treaty mas become practically obsolete it
had best be legally eItinguished. Tho
landing of few British sailors and ma
rines at Bluefelds on the Mosquito coast
for few days 10 q thing Of no consequence.
a. Minister Bayard in q recent letter to
Secretary Gresham declares that there 10
no intention and has been no intention on
the part of Great Britain to interfere in
the domestic affairs Of the Mosquito king
dom. These sailors and marines were
landed simply to protect foreign
residents from threatened disorder
just as Secretary Bayard 10 1887 directed
our naval commander at Honolulu to be
prepared to land his forces to protect
American residents, or as Minister Stevens
actually did land them last January from
the Boston.
Great Britain could not permanently oc-
cupy Bluefislds. which Is but seventy
miles from Greytown. the Atlantic ter
minus of the Nicaragua canal, without
violating the Clayton Buiwer treaty, for
England by that treaty gave up oil claim
to the Mosquito coast, Of which Bluefelds
is the capital and chief city. Nicaragua
sent troops into the Mosquito country,
and the British forces were landed simply
with a view to preserve the rights and
property Of foreigners, Americans as well
as Englishmen. England claims no au-
thori,y today on the Mosqul. coast any
more than we do on tho Hawaiian islands.
1tisnos likely that England intended any
revival of her long ago abandoned right of
protectorate over the Mosquito coast with
a view to the future of that American
waterway. the Nicaraguan canal. and our
indifference to tho matter In shown by
Senator Dolph's proposal to abrogate the
treaty. for with or without the treaty of
1850 the United States would assert it's
control over the Nicaraguan canal. The
Clayton Bulwer treaty has, therefore, be-
come practically useless bit OF diplomatic
rubbish, aud Senator Dolph's proposition
to legally abrogats a treaty that has be-
come practically obsolete ought to prevail.