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.._1 SPEECH , OF. THE ,
IIIONAEWIS CASS, 'ot Michigan,
On - our Relations with 'Great Britain.
DELIVERED IN `THE SENATE JANUARY 28, '56
J9O:IsIC: , LUDEDI
Why, sir, it - is - a 'Well-known historical fact,
that Wltery'the'rneeiage of Mr. Monroe reach
ed Eerope, it excited a great sensation among
the ,politicians, and nowhere a greater one
'England. - Mr. Canning had propo
sed to Mr. Itirsh that the United States should
take ground e against - the extension of` the
schernes of the Holy Alliance to the Spanish-.
American'States,' and promised the • coopera
itiun'of England. The proposition reached
ere, wheiti•as vitd 'have 'seeri,' Mr. Monroe
- 'was about to submit his doctrine to Congress.
He accepted the suggestion of Mr. Canning,
'as to the particular case, which was all the
British' Government - Wanted, but he also t.c
-'-companied his action with a declaration of
. the grinciples, which he thmight should - a:bide
'`his country, thereafter. , Nbiv, sir, Mr. Cart
, , ning aid not partake of the mistake,' which
prevailshere. He saw that the special inter
.position was temporary, but that the doctrine
Itself.was i!erpetual. lam informed by one
; ..who knows, that no man 'in Europe was
mOre,surprised than was'Al.r.' Canning, when
he found that - the American - `,Gay.ertiment had
.gone so far beyond his wishes and - expecta-:
.tiona... And we.see sir to this.day that the
, point is perfectly understood iii England; for
• Loyd Clarendon, in his statement, said to,Mr.
B uchanan, but the.echer:,ilay; _Thaft lie. anti
colonization declaration.e(A.. Morirrie was
•"itiut the'dic - trirn -- of personi
whii'deelarect it, but 'her Majesty'S' Grivern
meAt.:Cannot admit 'that doctrine; as an inter
natienal akiorp;:Which'hught'tO-regulate . the
-conduct, of Entopean'States;"l-I,ere is no at=
Item to avOid‘ the ip,rineiple, - nor is there, any
theapsWerOf,Mr.
_Buchanan, who frank
- ly.aio_ws his adhesion the . "dictum," and
adds,:With:frue.Americati spirit, that "if the
casionlesnired, he would cheerfully under
'take, the:task. of - justifYing the wisdomarid
.:sound policy of the Monroe doctrine; in ref
erence to the nations or Europe, its well, as
those of the American Continent." f wish
orir Ministet:,liail'beeii,called upon to do,, this
work: haVe 'am!' con
-`,.clusivelY, - arid in filch, &CIA
. not, would have_ heen,satisfactory 'to his 'ciWn
countrymen, ifnet"to -- Epropeari 'politicians,
.and which. might have silenced objeetiO4at
.hOme.
•
-. Canning,..sir, arrogated, thd, credit of
Nine great, nieasure to himself, 'to 'Which_ he
no.just
,claim. Let him, not have. ; the
merit of another, to which 'h_e_,advancectrio
:pretensions. He .said, in quite - a tgrandilo
.quent vein, in . the British House of Com
mons, that he - had 'called the Span ish-Ameri
can'tte„publiodintO:being, and his words_` fell
proud, assent upon, English ears. 'But,
.sir, the boast hid no foundatiOn . ." At the very
iime,he Made it those Reptib.lies had achiev
ed t;heir.omi,imtsiien'dencE . y . ,,arld wcre'beyo'nd
:the reach of SPaniSh resUbjUgatinn,,. and that
independence,had, been formally _acknowl
edged, by.-the United - Stated. I. think • I am
correct in the statement of thid fact. .
MusSUM.NER, (in his seat.)- ft is so:•
Mr.. ,L believe, - sir, that to Mr.
Clay, more than to any other statesman,
American or European, was due the entrance
of those States into the family of nations.
,
But, after all, sir, this inquiry into the ori
gin of the Monroe, doctrine has but a specu
lative•-i,nterest. TO aclopt-an eitprssiuri,
-Millar to the' 4ars of,SenatoriOt
•vindicate the truth '
of hiSta*Piand vindi-
Catelt upon: this P bint;'butthiagreat
lactic ,principle does • not''' now 'derive , its.
"strengh froth its Origin' of its author;, it rests
'upon surerlottridation,,upon,the Cordial c'on
:curiena's'of,th'd Airtericab peOple,.and.is des
, tined tube a broad line upon Che:,:Cliart of
ppliCy„ , One, motive with SO . * br us—
perhaps malt many of,us—in.,the'Senate, for
:supporting 'the. Clay ton-Bulvver treaty ,was,
Ithat, if carried out in good faith, it., would
:peaceably do the •work of the Monroe doe
• trine, incl.:free an important portion, of our
continentfrom European interference.,..That
it' has: so . 'far signally failed ,is tin' fault
` . .on our side: -Whethet it is ta be a .irikmipli
":as well as a fault, on - Alm - other, 'will' 'depend
''on'the firmness and self-respect, which may,
dire& and acebinpany'iir course. lam well
awareohat, ; during:the preMiershipThf Lord
Palmerston, an ' amicable „arrangement, or
rather a fair fulfillment 'of the treaty, agreea
bly to its obvious , impoyti and tbc avowed ob..'
jectof the, parties, is .an . cvent.har,dly . to be
• hopedfor,. I have nothing to say of that dis
tinguished English statesman, incompatible
• with his, own . high position, , or., this' high
•place 2 ,where circumstances have given to
• his vieWs,.tohis • temperainent, perhaps, an
importance rarely attached to a, public man
out Ofhis bivn:Country. But he is not only
the officialhead of the British administration;
he is also its guiding''spiriti and , his proba
ble.course is no matter of indifference to the
.people of the United' States. Some ;ime
,since, sir, in this, Chamber, I took occasion to
'say that, of all' the active public men of Eng
3m. - ••• Gm. , 126.
$I 00 'ss 00 c $8 , :00
.5 00-'-•8 - 00 12 00
7 50 10 00 •15 00
,9 00 14 00 23 00
15 00 25 00 38 00
25. 00 40 00 60 00
land, I considerediord Palmerston the most
unfriendly to our country, and that his 'exer
tions-would never,be wanting in , any effort
to'oppose us. This. opinion •was received
with some.stirprise, andn.good - dea.l'Of ind-re
dulity,..bat I believe his sentirnentiare now
pretty well understood here, .and -nothing fa
vorable is,expected 'frorp him.- `Sir, he un
doubtedly nourishes the strongest: prejodices
against ourinstitutions, our progress, and Our
prospects; and
. there is hardly a well-infor
med American, returning from Europe, who
: }viii not confirm this representation. His
observation to Mr. - Castellon, the Nicaraguan
Minister, is indicative, not only of his senti
ments towards us,
but of his estimate of our
firmness. He said :
," We.have been disposed to treat the United
States with some degree of consideration; but,
- in, referenee to this question, it is a matter of
total indifference to her Majesty's Government
what she may say or do."
-Very complimentary ; this, to our national
pride. His lordship may yet be disappointed.
From the beginning, he has been no friend
of this treaty ; nor do I believe it would have
been 'formed, had he directed the Government,
at the tinie. And I believe, now, sir, that
these difficulties would be adjusted by an
honest interpretation being put upon this
convention; within one month after the. ac
cession of "a liberal-statesman to the station
now held by Lord Palmerston. Till that
event takes place, it will be the. dictate of
true wisdoin not to anticipate, though we
will still hope for, an amicable arrangement
—but to take counsel from the duty we owe
to ourselves. The treaty, from its commence
ment, has beeuset at naught upon the most
flimsy pretexts.
It is evident that Lord Clarendon has adop
ted the views, and- participates in the feel
ings of Lord •Palmerston upon- this whole
subject, 'as also that-the pretensions they
haye advaced will' be tenaciously' adhered
to. For myself, do not see how they are
to be abandoned'without self-stultification by
those, who have thus farso strenuously main
tained titem - : - .';Th'e attempt to torture lan
guage to the accommodation Of precOnceiyed
- purposes was nevermore palpable' than an
'this , case., ,Let 'any 'one comparethe able
and frank opinion of Mr:•:Johnson i :who,was
our Attorney General,4hen this .treaty was
negotiated,,- with the- opinion .give,n by the
Queen's Advocate,. the law officer of the
British Government- in its ; communication
with other Powers, and he cannot but •be
struck, with-the contrast. Before I sit, down,
I shall ask. to have Mr.' Johnson's opinion
read at the Clerk's table.:' •It is entitled to
high
_commendation for its clearness and
ability; and- I am - happy ,to have this opportu
nity .of testifying:Any' , teripect -and regard
fur,
• ,able and-,accomplished
.gentler
Man. '`i , 'he.t:SaYs..theQUeere"SAdvocate,
that 'high legal - 'Cotttiteloil ':Whi;;" that the
treaty proirides - ihat'neither - party shall occu
py, or fortify, or, colonize r :or assume;' or ex-
excise any dominiou-- CLArfalq.—
Any. dominion--4 , meaning • any: •dorriinion •
whatever,)—over f• Central •"America; yet -
that' either. party --may, -at its- Pleasure,
send' - a feet Or , -army into - any part- - of that
vast - -region; if it ' , abs - tains "friont ,- occupy . - •
ing, or , - fortifyag ;"o?-• 'or • ex
ercising dominion
_therein,
_New, sir, all this,
1 iepean• is •fia Aes'is'an insult to common'
sense, than to the posifiOn 'oar eduntry be- -
fore the world: equally - 'defiance of
- ilie'SPirit, and brthdrext of the arrangement.
—Hereis a'mutual "Corve,r4ion,.entered
- for 'the purpose cifsecrirhigan important re
gion from the control' and' 'influence "'of thei
contracting 'par_ll6,i; professing ' leave" it lb:
Its'oWn Mahagemerit "and its own fate; , and
now it is maintained : that fleets and armies -1
may invade that erintry, (1 do not speak of
a just war; that•ls Without-the treaty; but Of
armaments sent farl"pkot6Ction, as it is called,)'!
provided thpy,exercise no,-dominion. I de
sire
to kn'o " , .how a British army 'could en
camp upon . the soil.of.Nicaragua -without oc
cupation and the assumption- of clominion ; ?-- 5 .
They might not choose to, interfere with the:;
internal administration of the _country; but-1
that voluntary forbeaiance would not affect
their- power or influence in the-slightest • de
gree. 'You Might . as Well say, that the Aus--;
trianskeYercise' no-dominioU at Ancona, nor
the French at Rome,' because, the - local poll 2e I
at both PlaceS is left to - do 'its Own ungracious !
work.. '"Dominion," says the great English
lexicographer, "is power;" arid to contend
that_an',English. army, wAth,,the panoply of J
tour, bould,traverse one - Of those feeble Central:
Atherican States without• power .7 ,-=powerless'
indeed !—is to say that language • has lost its
force, 'and that conventionifor the accorinno-'
dation of national differences are but waste
paper •to be-read, aTs'the-purposes of interest
or ambition •may -dictate. '
•
•It was hot difficult, it appears to me,_ to
antiCipatethepresent state of' things. • Ger- -
tairily, I thought I foresaw it; and , E . predicted
it-three years - ago. Lord Clarendon' -kindly
wrote a ' dispatch' Mr, Crampton; - dated',
May 27, - 1853 a' giatiiitens one for our beile
fitudesignedtipon its facefor publication, in
whiA hqSaid:'"As great rifistoncepti ap-r.
pears tertirevail, not only ; among the people
of the United States, - but alio anion; 'persons
placed ioArigh,Rod : - _responsiblesituations
the,govetrunents of that eountry, respecting"
the '.'engagements of Gteat Britan . nutlet! the'
CWyti:in-Bulvver ireaty,".he thonght
bly•to pn,its right footing. He does:do
by his,conclusions, fortified by opinionOf the
Queen's : Advocate, to which ,1 ,hav,e'_ . already
referred, and which . . proves,' that , A weak
country may be traversed by an unresisted:
army exercising. no :power, and oocupying_
•no space;nrathat such a warlike -expedition
'isthe fair fulfilment of a treaty, whichsought;
with jealous 'vigilance, to exclude • both par=
=ties from the exercise of any influence by one;
which,might be turned to the- injury of the
other. 'Lord Clarendon, in this letter to Mr;
Crampton, went over the whole matter, and
this was-my conelusio,n,as to : the course of
the.British . Goverritifent; "Thet - will hold on •
to all their pretensions,* - iiiiIVIII - ncit sacrifice
their interest our min - 01 - cep/ions .- That
is COrd Clarendon'a term for Our construction
of the treaty." Thelfulfillment has 'come.
I referred, a few days since, to the anxiety
'of the British Government to obtain an ag-
„.liII . N . TITGDON;i.FETIRIT.ARY - .27; 1866.
' cendeneY in the,South'American country, in
Order to' control the great - highway across the
Isthinus, rendered 'of incalculable importance
Iby - our acquisitions'upon the Pacific coast.—
Accident has
,brought to light a document
Cetifirinatory of - thee views. It is a - letter
from the British vice consul at Grenada to
Lord Palmerston, dated April 4, 1849, in
which that functionary, ipeaking of the pro
jects of citizens of the United States to estab
lish a communication with the Pacific by the
route of the San 'Juan, 'says, that this, and
other circumstances; hal injure-I the ritish
interests, and that the country "will be over
run by orth 'American adventurers unless
an .arrangemeut is made by negotiation for a
prOtectorate and transit favorable to British
interests,"&c.
But the gist of the correspondence is iri the
concluding paragraph, where the writer says:
"The welfare of my country, and desire of its
obtaining the control of so desirable a spot in the
commercial world;and free it from the Compe
tition of so adventuresoine - race as the North,
, Americans, impel me to address yoUr lordship
I with such freedom." •
We have here a key to the whole line of
policy, which dictated. anti yet dictates, the
' course of England. There was little necess
-1
) ity for the consul to deprecate the displea
! sure of LorckP"almerston. The proposition
went, no do Mit, to the head and heart of his
lordship—perhaps it was followed by pronto
. tion. The prospect that a route across the
; continent, by canal or railroad, would be un
dertaken and accomplished by. our citizens,
unquestionably led the British Government,
or such portion of it as favored the measure,
to enter into this treaty, with a view to in
sure a participation in the advantages. The
parties joiotly . agreed, in the words I have
already quoted, that neither should "occupy
or feitify,,or assume, or exercise dominion
over Cant's' America, including Mosquito,"
&c. I observed, on a former occasion ; that
I could not, conceive why the worcl'"occupy"
,'would not ave.fulfilled the intention of the
_parties, and w,hy these
.. pleonasms wereintro
dueed into the treaty,. tenderin . g it perhaps
, doubtful; by overloading_ it with words.
,I
I am,now: enabled to do jUstice to our negetia
-1.t0r,-! the honorable Senator from DelavVare,
1 (Mr. CLAJTON,) . and from, information not
derived from him, and 'to say, that this realm
jilancy - of la,ri - guage Was no - fault of his; but
that he was pla.ced - in a 'Situation, which ren.
dered it proper 'to yield 'though inelined
against it.
" ,: • ;,: „ .
' But. - I Must also make the 'amendc aonoratae,
and'acknowledge, that, in my opinion, 'for
med upon subsequent circumstances, 'wheth
er the phraseology of the . .traty' , ,hal been
concise or . prolix, the - onstriictiori would
.haVci been a -foregori6 conclusion;'and just
what,it
_how is. We - should, have had the
same pridential interpretation, whichls hal
lOWed in - English diplornac.Y, and which,
many years since, was applied to a treaty be
liieen'Spain and England, in relation to this
very rectiori of country. This rernarkable, 'or
rather remarkably disgraceful,' indiderit, was
.alluded to the &het' day,, but . it will bear' re
petition as a useful lesson in_the mazes 'Of a
,
tortuous policy._ ,
A. treaty was ,concluded in 1783,, between.
Spain and England, the sixth.artiolepf which
) provided for the abandonment , of ; the
,Mbs`...
quito .country, - as: a portion of the "Continent I
Espao'nol.'?. There was a : °Teat reluctance.,
I on the part. of,the ...British .Cabinet 'to ; this--
withdrawal,.and, - at the same Anne, a strong.
desire tot terrainate,the , pending war by, the
conclusion of a.,treaty. :The King was ,hon
'estly, inclined, and hesitated ,to- give his as-,
.Sent. - . Mr. Fox, then'one of- the Ministers,,
rundertook„ta remove his objections. :He '3lrt
ted, that it was.iu their-,power, to, put,' their
own iuterpretatiortlupon, the' words,: "C.onti
i nenhEspaguol,". and ,to ',determine; .upon.pru- 1
dential - .considerations, (that
_ist- the_ term,)..
f•‘'w:het her the Mosquito shore came under, t hat
description• or.. note'.': : - And-, this. -expedient'
.prevailed; and,. though: 111r..Ii:ox, and -Itis.asso-' 1
:.ciate - s kne,w full-'well, to: speak in plain lan
.guage,:that they were eh eatin.ohe Spaniards,.
who-thought, as.every body else thinks; : that
the words, "Spanish continent,".imeant ,that
portion of the;:-.A.mericar. continent,._ yet the,
treaty was-concluded and. rntifieti T oand pru-'
dentia/ considerations excluded..tholVlosquito
.shore from., its operation,,.!The King, while
he gavethis consenti, did so, with hesitator',
-and considered the "circumstance a. Nes y-un-t
-toward 'inc.?? He might .have 'truly, qualified,
it by: a,much harsher ;epithet: : I ,am under.-
.the - impression, that. the ,same prudential rule'
would have been again applied,: to-Jetam, the
same Mosquiteeciuntry,..evenjf the :words of
:the Clayton-Bulwer ,treaty - had 1:?ec.31. lessequi
'vocal upon. thislpoint than , they are, if
_that
is_posSible. ::-. .
Mr. President; it is within 'the recollection
of the Senate, thattsoute 'two years .sinco '
had a - disbussiciti- With the Senator front IDela--
ware upon this, treaty; wheal took exceptions
-1.6 a portion Of it 7 phraseology; as! welr as to•
other-circumstances 'connected with' it. I
'never ildubted; boy : o:l ' id , lever' express a•doubt
of, the patriolic purpose of -the-Setiator;-and
renew an : •acknowledgnietit=l
then = made,
'that:dining-the i):ogress
,of :the: , negotiatien,
he did me the honarro . conault'me,-as=well as
'Other Senalors,Larld that I warmly approved
his effort: 'Now, 'air',l - ir have • nothing to' , say
as fo.theie'past. differenbes of opininn‘;' :they
are gone,by. While pending, they'em braced
queations iclatingifo:our internal- affairs—to
the course "and -conduct of a functionary . of
Our own: But now we are- drawn into a
xliscussiori with a foreign- Government, 're
specting the-honest interpretation of 'the trea
ty, and' the ' subterfuges-1 use the .term ad
visedlv—by• which it is sought to avoid =its
And I express my full concur
rence in the various points takenty the Sen. ,
ator frOin Delaware, and which he has sup-
Fined with that'power of intellect and elo—
quence, Which is known to the whole • coun
try, and with a full knowledge of the Subject,
directedby 'an active -and 'enlightened patri
otism.. ,
I have said, that the objeet" of , this treaty
was to keep the country from thebecupation
or influence of two parties. Se far as re
spects us, the object has been accomplished;
and the proof of that fact is ; that no complaint
of-a failure has been prefetred against us by
our co-contractor. We have not -a foot of
land in that region, nor the slightest in
fluende, except what results from a fair course
of policy; and we are disqualified from' ever
making an acquisition in that qnarter. Not
so with England.- The advantage is alto
gether on -her side: She retains all she claim
ed;' while we have debarred ourselves of the
right of acquisition. It is an unequal arrange
ment, rendered such by prudential considera ,
tions, producing a palpable breach of faith.
What are the complaints we prefer against
- England in relation to this treaty I will
enumerate them as succinctly as I can : •
I. We complain, as a general allegation,
that constructions are put upon it so mani
festly inconsistent with its purpose and lan
-guage, that the very assumption is telt by us
to be an insult, and seen to be such by the
world.
2. But to come to specific statements, we
further complain, that these-constructions are
'destructive of the objects of the treaty. It is
now 'said by Lord Clarendon, that this instru
ment is prospective in its operation. And
so it is. If it had but a retroactive bearing,
it would be but Of little value. ' It necessarily
operates in' the future, like almost all national
arrangements. But, by prospective opera
tion, Lord Clarendon =means that, in some
most important particulars, it has no opera
tion at all. He claims, that it passes over
the British pretensions :existing in Central
America at the time of its conclusion, and
leaves them untouched by its provisions.—
We contend, that it embraces all the country
named in it that is not expressly excepted;
and that its operation commences from the
moment of its ratification; and that its obli
gations are perpetual.
This claim,. that the British possessions
held ,at the ratification of the treaty were ex
-1 cepted from its stipulations, is now heard for
the first time, so far as I know, and so says
Mr. BuChanary,.and this very circumstance is
a strong presumption, unfavorable to the' as
stimption, especially considering'the investi
gations the treaty had undergone, and the
many minds that had been 'at work Upon it.
Mr. Buchanan takes up this point,- arid dis
cusses it with great force and clearness. ' Be
fore the treaty was ratified, there was an act
of the British Government, which is conclu
sive, as to their opinion upon this pretension.
The treaty went to England, without any
declaration,' excepting the Honduras settle
inent from, its operation.- If the, construction
now contended for, under the . term''prospee,
tfire operation, be the correct :One, - there was
no need of providing for the exclusion of that
settlement beeaneeibeing held by the British
at that time, it would not be affected by the
arrangement: ' .
' ' But the British Government returned the
- treaty and' required an express 'declaration,
'that it (lid not extend to'their" poses9ions-'—
a'demand utterly-inconsistent with this new
ly-di:sCOveredlnterpretation, that, being pro
spective" existing clainis are protected from
its - provisions. And such;too, was the view
;of the Queen's Advocate, in the opiniorito
-'w hichl I have already' refe lied :,. w lio ' Said,.
[that the assumption, which he understoOd,
I had' been maintained, that Great Britain had
'abandoned all AloMinion over the, Whole - of
Central America, waS:.incerrect, at ' least in
reeard - to the: Belize :and -its dependencies.— .
The BeliZe'and its dependencies were, as the'
'Queen's' Advocate says, expressly excluded.
fripm the treaty by a:'declaration,'accoiripaily-
I ing the - act orratification ;: and the_exiii9-.
:Sion - , "at leait. aScs'a
regards the Belize, ', is suffi
ciently: - indicative e of the :opinion, that all
other,portions. oteentral - America cartie4itli
iri'thetreaty, an - d-are'not . protected liy"'this
- prospective disCOVer - Y,''Operating'tiptin ekist
ing'clainis.'-'''AndLord Clareinloti'hiniself,'in
Ilhis_letterte Mr.,' Crainpton,,of May 27, 3.853,
;places the exertiption of theßritish posses-:
,
I srons-LLmeaning - theßeliz . e--upon the -decla
ration. .
e of the'
. negotiators, and n'ot upon, this
recientlpannounced_and prutlential canon of
interpretatlon.
" What is 'the language 'of - the' treaty-upon
this. subject? That ' the parties shall 'riot oc-,
cupy 'Cetiiral America. • How can this stip- .
uration ' be :Co iripl ied • :with; - if -one of *them
-continues the eccupatien previously held?— '
Te'occup'y - ii.te'do just what thetreaty---pro
li i bit's. - - And' what -reason As e v , iiefi . ler' this'
,perversion of language; as. plain_as: "Words
permit ? "Because,'" says' Lord . 'larendon,.
"the treaty does net contain, in specific ter-ins,
'''a.. 'renunciation 'on the 'part of Great'Srifain."
And 'in 'what principle of international' law;
or' 'Of bean - non - sense,' or of common honesty, '
does Lord 'Clarendon - find his justification
, ``for such an' aistiMPtion as this?. F,knowr of.
norie. ' If a nation, or an individuallecintraCts
to do 'an act, they contract the olifigathin'to :
do all'lliat - that dot, fairly-requires. f 'A stifiu- -
lation ', net' 16 occupy necessarily : includes'
within itself the. duty 'Of 'abandoning any
pretension:Or pOssession, inconsistent With
that obligation. And if, one individual. 'dOn
tract'ivith another, that, he -will : hold no pos
'session inA•given district . ,-'--and'that is, the
,equivalent expressiori hi a private' case for a
national .stipulation of non-occupation,-aS,no
nation' can retain a country without occupa-.
tion ..i, . - -atich individual would:forfeit all 'claim'
-sty.. .
to hene,l-'he urged; as a reason for' hold-.
ing pbssessiori, that he- meant he would -riot
hold 4hat' he had not, but that what he bad
he. Went! keep". Apply - the same considera.:
tidnA to the position of England, and the (lis-'
classiOn'sterrninates itself. - - ' .
-
a.- .The third article in our list of 'grievan-' .
ces is, the indefinite extension of.-the Belize
,settlement, and theexerciSe Of full, unlimited
jurisdiction over it. . . .
This. branch of the subject has been so
'hilly. presented both here, and by Mr. Bu
chanan in England, and with marked ability,
that rshall pass over it, as rapidly as is con
sistent with its clear understanding. ,
.The British Government has, for a century
and a• half, held qualified• possession of a
small region, including the neighborhood of
the Belize. It was-originally seized for. the
purpose of .cutting logwood ; and after long
and angry contests with Spain, the, latter
Power finally recognized the right. to hold it
for that object. alone. So ,jealous was .the
Spanish Government s that it insisted upon
the most stringent provisions; that there
should be no armed force, no fortress, no ag
riculture; expressly providing, that the nat
ural fruits of the soil should be its only pro
duce, to be used as food, and that there should
be no manufactories, but mills for sawing the
mahogany into boards. And there are two
acts of the British Parliament, passed in 1817
and, 1819, confirming and recognizing this
ver limited jurisdiction.' They declared
That the settlement at the Bay of- Honduras
was. "a settlement for certain purposes, in
the possession, and under the protection, of
his Majesty, but not within the territory and
dominions of his Majesty," &c.
Now, sir, all these limitations upon the
power of Great Britain over that region are
wholly disregarded, and she has fortified it,
and cultivates it, and exercises as fall domin
ion over it, as over any other part of her ter
ritories. She does not merely hold the usu
fruct—and that confined to the logwood trade
—but the country is exclusively hers, for all
the purposes of peace and war. it is a per
inanent position on the great BaY of Hondu
ras.
And besides this change of tenure, and the
conversion of a limited right into an absolute
proprietorship, Great Britain has greatly en-
larged the extent of the settlement beyond
the boundaries assignet,l to it, to the injury
of the State of Guatemala, to which the in
vaded country belongs, as successor to the
rights and possessions of Spain. The most
remote southern limit of this settlement,
ever recognized by. Spain, was the - Siboon
river, I suppose twelve or ,fourteen miles
'from the Belize; but the British have ex
tended it to the Sarstoon river, one hundred
and 'fifty or two hundred miles still further
Mouth, and as clearly in the State of Guatemala
as the James river is in Virginia. Some maps
represent her encroachments as having reach
ed the Golfo Dolce, still further down the
coast.
And this progressive invasion has beers 1
committed, without the slightest title of right
or authority—committed by the strong hand,
and maintained by it. Lord Clarendon, in
his discussion with Mr. .Buchanan, claims
this region "by right of conquest." But
when it was conquered, and when ceded, he
fails to tell us. The fact is, it has been gain
ed by successive acts ofencroachment, some
times individual and sometimes colonial, of
which, till now, the British GoVernment has
not publicly claimed the benefit. These,
now, constitute this "right of conquest."—
have before me a charge delivered, not long
since, by Chief Justice Temple, to a grand
jury at the Belize. He seemed to consider it
necessary to explain by what right the au
thorities exercised jurisdiction over the coun t
. try between the Siboon and the Sarstoon
rivers; and said "it was neither by grant nor
conquest, but by occupation." Occupation
is a title resting upon diseoverv; and, is ap
plied to a region, which 'had belonged to
Spain,. or. her emancipated colony, .since the
second voyage of Columbus. Doctor's often
disagree as to a cure for the patient, but sel
dom-more pointedly than in this case.
4. We objeCt to thenecupation of Roatan,
and the Cluster of island§ in its neighborhood,
in the • Bay of; Honduras, and . Consider it a
palpable violation of the.treaty. And in the
very face of That treaty, and_after its ratifica
tion, a colonial government was established
there, called .the Colony of the. Bay islands,
in contempt of the stipula.ticin,"that neither
party should colonize:
' -What are the facts in relation.to this ao---
gression—for it is undeniably such—and what
•are the objections to the -claim 1. - - -• -' • '
1. -Roatan is said - by Lord Clarendon %to be•
one of • the group of islands'excepted in the'
note to the-treaty ? and • described as " the
'shred! 'islands 'in the neighborhood' of the
.Belize settlement;_ and known as its depen-•
dencieS.'i, NOw,. theie is a cluster of islands:
—lslets, hilier-'—about - three.,lpagaes from
,the Siboon river, which are dependencies of
:the Belize, 'and are beyond all doubt the ob-'
jects of this . pravision in the' note ; while toa--
tan is a large,' irriPertant island;,four or five
hundred, ,miles, from - the' Beliz.e., , A - cause
_thirst "be - Weak, indeed,: whicl "depends - upon
'such" siipporl: - Rdatan iS only' some - thirty
miles:from 'the'diiast of Honduras, and-be
longs to it by as jug a title:aS Long filand
beloags'to Nees York. '. '. ', , :• •
' 4r.ollier -grmind of'clairn :to Roatan is
founded on the allegation, that by some maps
it,i'S'in the West Indies: I do 'net see, that
:Lord' Clarendon has' asSurned . thii ' position,
'bat others,have. 'I state it Only' , to show, that
if ri'pelitiCal'frieasure 'is' determined on,:rea-'
sons
,will neverbewantingfer'its defense..- 7 -
This C reo ' grptii6al elasticity, ' if, it aoes on,-
mair_rtib usOf 'out o•ood 'old island ':f Nan-:
tecket, Making it tropical for British - ptirpo--
ses,
, though not 'for' those of-nature..
, • :3. One 'of the" British titles' to Roatan is a ,
title; by
,riglit‘of occupation; and" it 'is Urns ,
Stated by LoritClarendon : ' ' ', -- -
~ Whcricver. Roatan has been , permanently
.ppeupied,.either in remote or 'recent times, by
anything more than a military, duaid and flag
s:taff, the 'occupation has bpcn by British sub
jects. . -
How' cautiuu:sfy Is . this Worded 'as'the foun
dation of
,suoh a Claim! ;When the island
;has been occupied, formerly or latterly, it
has been by British subjects l' Then, accord-
ing to this 'statement the occupation has been'
interrtipted,' • and no permanent possession ,
held until the English seized)t i • and yet a-
Central Arneiican garrison IS eonceded . .to'-
• have been
,stationed there; - and We' know
'tbat'the island was wrested horn it by foice.
But 'still moraexiraOrdinary, is the . subceed- -
ing deeltation : - ,
"It has'been, without the instigation of the
British Government, of late ydars, spontane
ously occupied by British subjects." •'• .
, Spontaneous occupation is a new title' in
'English colonial history: Had the British'
Government the slightest faith in' its title,
there would have been no spouteneolis action,
but an authorized possession of one of the
most important positions in Central America.
English subjects,‘ according to an English
Minister,' , seized a district-belonging, by all
the recognized principles• of discovery, to
Spain-and her emancipated colonies, and the
Government steps in and takes advantage of
the illegal act. Apply' such a ease to us, and
VOL, 11, NO. 36.
what horror would be excited in .England'!
What would, she say if we permitted ottr . cite
izens to wander through the world, occupy
ing regions at their pleasure, where -they,
could gain foothold, and then should step in
and convert their spontaneous occupation into
our sovereignty and especially should we do
so at this time in-Central America In such
an event, language would fail me to describe
her virtuous indignation.
• But what are the prominent facts connect
ed with this occupation ? In brief, they are
these : In- the year 1804, Colonel.Hender
son, the British commandant at the :Belize;
who was sent to examine this island, report
ed that it belonged to,Spain.— -In 1820, it was
seized by a British force, and
.abandoned on
the remonstrances ,of the Central American
Government, which was then united and
strong. e _ln 1841, it was. again seized after
.that Government was dissolved, and when
Honduras was feeble, and in a time of pre
found peace, without urging the slightest
pretense, so far as appears: a mere act of
piracy, to call things, by their true names. ,
These five Islands, as I. have already said,
now constitute a British colony, organiZed
since the ratification of this treaty. They
are a most valuable possession, the principal
of them,. 'bawl, being a highly important
naval station, abounding with excellent hard
bors, easily fortified, and affording the means
of commanding the great Bay of Honduras,
and the communication along ,the coast of
Central America. And their adaptation, to
these purposes constitutes at once their value
to England, and the motive for the tenacity,
with which she holds on to them, her solemn
stipulations to the contrary notwithstanding.
I. am glad to see, that the purpose has not es
caped the sagacity of our Government, • nor
the knowledge of it, its avowal Mr. Marcy
speaks upon .this subject with a frankness,
which becomes his position .and responsibil
ity. He says, in a letter to Mr. Buchanan
of June 12, 1854 :
"Roatan can only be desirable to Great Brit
ain as a naval and military station,
,antl• •for
that purpose only, as it would give her. great
facility in affecting injuriously out interests.—
Should she refuse to acknowledge -it as a part
of the State:of Honduras, and retain possession
' of it herself, the United States would clearly
understand lick object. A predetermination to
interfere with our atiairs thus manifested, will
render the centin Mince of our amicable relations
with her precarious,"
Beaten is to beceMe the Gibraltar of thoSe
seas, .and, like that celebrated fortress, like
the Cape of.GOod Hope, and Aden', and Sing
apore, it..is destined by English policy to ,
overlook, arid, when the time comes, to con
trol the commerce of the world. No man
can fail to admire the judgment and precau
tion with which these and other. stations
have ; been selected, girding the giobe.witli
seats of power—places at once, of attack
and refuge—and especially their establish
ment upon great lines of communication,
and where the flag of every maritime nation
must.pass before their doors, No, POWet . is
more interested. in all this than we are ; and
that interest.is tenfold increased by our acqhi
sitions upon the" Pacific, and by the necessity
of an unbroken
,cOmmunication with them.—
We: want no lion in our
,path, :watching, in
his lair, till he is-ready to spring,; but this is
just what England, wants, ay, and,Woll
if do not being bOth vigilance and firm
ness to the task before 139.
5.
,Our fifth and last principal ground of
complaint• is the conduct and pretensions of
England• with respect to the Mosquito coun
try and protectoiate. The treaty recognizes
the exi.%ence of no- such Jelation w ith that
region: ~This is conceded by Lord Clarendon,
?who adds, however, that-the • treaty does rec
-ognize the right. of • both .the United States
and England to afford protection to the Cen
tral American States, including Mosquito.—
This phraseology is too indeterminate.:. The
allusion ,the convention to this important
matter is a mere incidental, one. It is, that
neither. patty shall make use of, uny protec
tion it, may afford to either of the said States,
for Any - purpose inconsistent with the treaty.
I think now, - as I thought at first, that the in
troduction of this provision was unfortunate ;
and I should reel obliged •to the Senator from
Vermont,ll)olr..COLLAMEltd who was a mem
ber of General Taylor's Cabinet, at, the time
this subject was pending, if he will state to
the Senate the reasons for its introduction.
[Here Mr. CDLLAMER stated - , that, ow
ing to his peculiar, aversion to - war, as a
means of adjusting national controversies, and
seeing that an endeavor was to ba made by
this treaty - to : 'guaranty •the neutrality. of
,some part of God's earth, in peace and ; .war,
: he felt , particularly interested in the subjeot,')
and therefore turned his attention-to the ne
gotiations. „
. ,
ile_further stated, that the first, project of
-the treaty contained no stipulation, as - to pro
tection. In Considering the matter in the
Cabinet, such a clause-was deemed necessa
ry,,irt consequence ,of the disclaimer,, ; made
by Lord Palmerston to Mr. Lawrerice,,ql,any
intention to occupy, the Mosquito : country,
though."at that very•time (said Mr. C;) they
were occupying the whale 'extent
_Of country
which I have mentioned. •
"It will thus be seen (continued - Mr. C.}
that Great Britain told-us she did not; intend
to_ ocupy or colonize any part oi-Central
America, when she was actually occupying
it," &c. was, therefore, feared,- looking
to the British -connection with. the Mosqui
toes for . two. hundred :years.. that.,,if, some
such•prOvision were not Made, .Great, Britain
"might fall back-on the worcUoccupy,' and
might really occupy the country under..tho
pretense of not doing so•in her own right.”
A man may occupy land in his own right, or
in the right and as tenant of another. .‘.clt
was for the purpose of putting an . abnegation
-of the resort to any such pretense, that the
last words of the first article, relating to pro
tection, were inscribed in the treatyf'J.
Mr. CASS. Mr. _President, 1. tender my
acknowledgments to the honorable: Senator
for his clear exposition, which satisfactorily
shows the reasons, that influenced...the Cabi
net of General Taylor in this . - transaction.—
That explanation:presents the subject in an
aspect which is -new to . me, arid certainly
suggests better reasons for the adoption of