The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-16
THE cLAYroN-BULwER TREATY.

=
The Clayton Bulwer treaty which 1t is
said Great Britain is now willing to
modify. though some years ago she re-
fused to do SO, was signed at Washington
| in 1850. The year before the United
States had entered into treaty with
Nicaragua for the opening of ship canal
across the isthmus of Panama from Grey
| town on the Atlantic coast to the Pacific
! by the way of Lake Nicaragua. But at
that time Greytown was occupied chiefly
by British settlers from Jamaica, and ths
whole eastern coast of Nicaragua by Mos
quito Indians over whom the British
claimed that they had such sovereignty
as gave them right to the control of
tho soil. The United States did
not believe the British claim well founded,
but fearing that any attempt to build
canal through the Mosquito territory
would bring on war with Great Britain
MIR. Clayton, who was Secretary of State
in President Tayl cabinet, asked Lord
John Russell who was then prime minis
ter to withdraw England's prerensons to
ownership of tho Mosquito coast so that
the United States and Nicaragua might
construct canal to be owned by them
| jointly. This Lord John Russell refused
to do, but agreed to enter into treaty for
La joint protectorate over the canal. This
treaty was ratified on July 4, 1850. and
is known as the Clayto -Bulwer treaty,
MIR. Bulwer being the British minister to
Washington and Mr.. Clayton being the
American Secretary of State. The first
clause of this treaty is as follows:
ssThe governments of the United States
and of Great Britain hereby declare that
neither the one nor the other will ever
obtain or inaiutain for itself any sxclu-
siye control over the said ship canal;
agreeing that neither will ever erect or
maintain any Qualifications commanding
1.-THE same, or in the vicinity thereof, or
occupy or fortify, or COLOMBO, or assume
or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any
part of Central American; nor will either
make use of any protection which either
affords, or may afford, or any alliance
which either has or may have TO or with
any state or people for the purpose OF
erecting or maintaining any such forth
fications or of occupying, fortifying, Of
colonizing Nicaragua, Costa Rica. the
America, or of assuming or exercising
dominion over the same; nor will the
United States or Great Britain take adj
vantage of any intimacy, or uss any ALL
ance, connection, or influence that either
may possess, with any state or govern
ment through whose territory the sale
canal may pass, for the purpose OF
acquiring or holding, directly or indirecs-
ly, for the citizens or subjects of the one
any rights or advantages in regard tt
commerce or navigation through the sale
canal which shall not be offered on thu
same terms to theHoitizens or subjects o.
the other. ~
Since the execution Of this treaty ther'
have been repeated controversies between
the two governments respecting the in
depreciation of it's principal clauses
Great Britain having retained her domin
ion over the Beliz of British Honduras
it has been claimed by the United SGate'
that the treaty is void, or has become
voidable at the option of the United
States. On the grounds lin the language
of despatch from Mr.. Frelinghuy sen
secretary of state, dated July 10, 1884
'sFirst, that the consideration Of ths
treaty having failed, its object never hav
ing been accomplished, the United State
did not receive that for which theJ
covenanted; and second, that Great Brit
ain has persistently violated her agree
mont not to colonies the Central Ameri
can coast England, however. has no
admitted our contention, nor shown any
disposition until recently to abrogate OF
modify the treaty. If this treaty remains
in full force we cannot obtain or main
tain any exclusive control over tht
canal unless we violate it.