The shoal of state papers received from the United States
have partly a retrospective and partly a present interest. The extra- ordinary despatch of Mr. Dallas, describing an interview vritl/ Lord Malmesbury last summer, throws a light upon the interior of our Foreign Office, not calculated to inspire confidence in any of Lord Malmesbury's qualities except his candour. He seems to have been under a delusion that he had abandoned a right which never existed—the right of search; and his rapid retreat from his first position is creditable to his frankness but not to his judgment. A. more experienced diplomatist would never have got into such a position. He stands fast, and has, we pre- sume, stood fast ever since, in his humble but fruitless request for an arrangement whereby both nations may reciprocally verify the nationality of auspicious ships hoisting their flags. The Federal government will not make any such arrangement. Hence, unless we abstain altogether from meddling with ships bear- ing the stars and stripes, irritating controversies are sure to arise. Thus one has arisen. Sir William Gore Ouseley is at Greytown "ter- minating the Mosquito protectorate." Pending negotiations our ships of war have kept a strict watch for the advent of Mr. William Walker. As protectors of Mosquitia they seem to claim the right of boarding ships of any nation entering Mosquitian ports. The 'Washington steamer has been so boarded, and the filibuster newspapers are enraged thereat. But the explanations at Wash- ington city are declared to have been "satisfactory." We shall see. The two Governments are as far as ever from being agreed upon the meaning of the Bulwer-Clayton treaty.
It is worth notice that Mr. Douglas, candidate for the Presi- dency, has spoken at New Orleans not only in favour of obtain- ing Cuba, but of establishing a protectorate over Mexico.
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