Doc. No. 75. 



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^oi!tment having been discovered by Spain and occupied by her, so far as 

 she deemed compatible with her interests, of right belonged to her; that 

 the alleged independence of the Mosquito Indians, though tolerated by 

 Spain, did not extinguish her right of dominion over the region claimed 

 in their behalf, any more than similar independence of other Indian tribes 

 did or may now impair the sovereignty of other natioig^s, including Great 

 Britain herself, over many tracts of the same continent; that the rights 

 of Spain to that region have been repeatedly acknowledged by Great 

 Britain in solemn public treaties with that power; that all those territorial 

 rights in her former American possessions descended to the States which 

 were formed out of those possessions, and must be regarded as still ap- 

 pertaining to them, in every case where they may not have been volun- 

 tarily relinquished or cancelled by conquest, followed by adverse posses- 

 sion. 



Under these circumstances, therefore, after the most deliberate con- 

 sideration of the subject, the President has decided to present the views 

 of this government, in regard to it, to the friendly consideration of the 

 government of Great Britain. In forming this determination, though in- 

 fluenced by a just sympathy for the injuries which the republic (of Nica- 

 ragua) would sustain if Great Britain should persist in claiming, directly 

 or indirectly, dominion over the Mosquito shore, he has not been unmind- 

 ful of the past policy of this government. 



Viewing the importance to both countries of the commerce between the 

 United States and Great Britain, the President ardently desires that the 

 relations between the two governments should continue to be of the most 

 friendly and harmonious character, and should become strengthened with 

 the advance of time. Consequently, he is reluctant to take any step 

 which might lead to a misunderstanding with that government. Believ- 

 ing, however, that if he were to disregard the appeal of the government 

 of Nicaragua, he would neglect a plain duty, he will not shrink horn the 

 responsibility which the discharge of that duty imposes. 



The British government can have no reason to be dissatisfied with our 

 friendly interposition We scrupulously abstain from intermeddling with 

 the internal policy of foreign countries, and have never been officious in 

 attempting to interfere with the affairs of other nations. 



It is deemed advisable, that, before entering into a written correspond- 

 ence upon the subject with the British Minister for Foreign Affairs, you 

 should sound him, in conversation, as to the views and intentions of the 

 British government in regard to the Mosquito coast : Whether it is in- 

 tended by that government to set aside a portion of the territory for its 

 own uses, for any and for what reason, and on what principle? Whether 

 that government claims a right, as ally and protector of the Mosquito King, 

 to control or obstruct the commerce of the river San Juan de Nicaragua, 

 or to keep forts or establishments of any kind on its banks 9 What are to 

 be the boundaries of the territory, and by whose authority have they been 

 estabhshed? All this should be communicated verbally, in conferences, 

 with intimations of the inexpediency of any great commercial power 

 claiming to hold the river, in case it should become a highway for the na- 

 tions of the earth. Say, in the most friendly manner, that, while we 

 should look upon the exclusive possession or command of such a river 

 by ourselves as a great evil to us, which would draw upon us the 

 jealousy, and ultimately the hostility of the rest of the commercial world. 



