WASHINGTON CITY, _July 1, 1852_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
On the 26th ultimo I received a resolution of the Senate, passed in
executive session, in the following words:
_Resolved,_ That the President of the United States be requested to
inform the Senate, if not in his opinion incompatible with the public
interest, whether any convention or compact has been entered into on the
part of the United States and the Government of Great Britain whereby
the two Governments jointly recommend or advise the Republics of Costa
Rica and Nicaragua, or either of those Republics, and the Mosquito
Indians, inhabiting the Mosquito Coast, in Central America, on matters
affecting their several and respective boundaries, or whereby any
recommendation or advice is given to either of said Republics or said
Indians respecting the territorial rights thereafter to be enjoyed or
observed by them respectively, or in any other manner affecting or
regulating the relations hereafter to be maintained between said
Republics themselves, or either of them, and the said Indians concerning
their territorial boundaries or other matters thereto appertaining. And
if there be any such convention or compact, then that the President be
requested to communicate the same, or a copy thereof, to the Senate, and
to inform the Senate whether the same was made at the request or
invitation of either of said Republics or of said Indians, or with their
privity, approbation, or consent. And that the President be further
requested to communicate to the Senate copies of all correspondence
between the Executive and Great Britain, or with either of said
Republics of Central America, touching said convention, and of all
documents connected therewith. And if such convention or compact has
been made, that the President be further requested to inform the Senate
whether the same has been formally communicated to the respective
Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the Mosquito Indians on the
part of the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, and in
what form such communications have been made to them, and that he lay
before the Senate copies of any instructions that have been given to the
representatives or agents of the United States at Nicaragua and Costa
Rica touching such convention and the matters therein contained, with
copies of like instructions to any naval officer of the United States
relating to or in any manner concerning the said convention or its
communication to said Republics or said Indians.
On the same day I returned the following answer to that resolution:
I have received and taken into respectful consideration the resolution
of the Senate of yesterday, adopted in executive session, requesting
information in regard to supposed negotiations between the United States
and Great Britain and between the United States and the Republics of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, respectively. Any information which may be in
the possession of the Executive on these subjects shall in due time be
laid before the Senate, but it is apprehended that it would not comport
with the public interests to communicate it under existing
circumstances.
Great was my surprise to observe this morning in one of the public
journals a statement of what purports to be a proposition, jointly
signed by Her Britannic Majesty's minister here and the Secretary of
State, for the adjustment of certain claims to territory between
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Mosquito Indians. I have caused immediate
inquiry to be made into the origin of this highly improper publication,
and shall omit no proper or legal means for bringing it to light.
Whether it shall turn out to have been caused by unfaithfulness or
breach of duty in any officer of this Government, high or low, or by
a violation of diplomatic confidence, the appropriate remedy will be
immediately applied, as being due not only to this Government, but to
other governments. And I hold this communication to be especially proper
to be made immediately by me to the Senate, after what has transpired
on this subject, that the Senate may be perfectly assured that no
information asked by it has been withheld and at the same time permitted
to be published to the world.
This publication can not be considered otherwise than as a breach of
official duty by some officer of the Government or a gross violation of
the confidence necessary always to be reposed in the representatives of
other nations. An occurrence of this kind can not but weaken the faith
so desirable to be preserved between different governments and to injure
the negotiations now pending, and it merits the severest reprobation.