158 THROUGH THREEFOLD TENSION 



show any tendency to crabbedness, regarding 

 the whole matter probably as a tedious trifle. 

 The two governments promptly exchanged as 

 surances that no occupation or colonization of 

 Central America was contemplated, and no 

 exclusive control of a railway or canal across 

 the isthmus. Clayton, on his side, withheld 

 from the Senate the draft treaties of Hise and 

 Squier; Palmerston disavowed the seizure of 

 Tigre and ordered the garrison to be withdrawn. 

 In considerable haste, lest new tempests should 

 issue from the prolific storm-centre on the Carib 

 bean, the representatives of the two govern 

 ments at Washington then concluded the famous 

 but ill-fated treaty of Clayton and Bulwer, 

 signed April 19, 1850, and proclaimed in effect 

 July 5th. 



The purpose of this convention, as defined 

 by its own provisions, was to promote the con 

 struction and maintenance of an interoceanic 

 canal by the Nicaragua route &quot;for the benefit 

 of mankind, on equal terms to all.&quot; The two 

 governments engaged never to obtain any ex 

 clusive control over such a canal, never to erect 

 fortifications or establish colonies in its vicinity, 

 never to use any relation of protection, alliance, 

 or intimacy with contiguous states for the pur- 



