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the same - the very committal into which the invitation was intended to betray him - The fact is that M. Belly knows very well that this contract he entered into with Presidents of Costa Rica and Nicaragua is an absolute nulity unless the rightful authorities of of [sic] those Republics shall accept the same and ratify it according to the laws and Constitution of the country. It appears that Costa Rica has al- ready done this on her part, and it only remains for Nicaragua to follow her example to to [sic] render said instrument valid and bind- ing. Monsier Belly, however, seems to have always had some appre- hension that Nicaragua might possibly not choose to follow the example of her sister Republic. Nor is he without good reasons for this appre- hension; for Nicaragua is not now 'in the same condition she was when that contract was entered into. A new, and I hope a better state of things have arisen; and whatever might have been the motives for the original celebration of that agreement, more powerful ones exist to day for its unconditional repudiation. Nicaragua is rapidly waking from the delusions of the past, and is beginning to think and act for herself; and when this said "Belly Contract" shall undergo the scrutiny of the Congress, and its nature, origin and conditions shall be calmly discussed by that body and weighed in the balance of good sense, there is every reason to believe that Nicaragua will discover - in time to save herself - that she has been deluded into the hope of impracticable projects - that she has been· duped into the relinquishmt of two principalities, one to Costa-Rica and the other Mousier Belly, and that she is now on the eve of becoming the victim of political intrigue and selfish speculators. In a word she cannot fail to perceive that she is about to barter her birthright for a mess of pottage; and seeing and feeling all this - what will she do with the Belly Contract f It is to be hoped that she will be true to herself and give it that prompt, unqualified rejection which it merrits. - And this is just what M. B. has long feared Nica- ragua would do as soon as the excitement of the time had passed away; and he has shaped his course accordingly. - In antisipation of this very difficulty, he has always affected to speak of his Contract, not as a measure in an incohate state, but as an affair already concluded and fully perfected. - Europe has been induced to regard it in this light; nor has the press or government of this Country sought to undeceive the public upon this point. Should Congress, therefore, in a spirit of independence withhold its ratification of said Contract, M. B. has his ready reply. He will say - "Why have you allured me with the hope that my contract would be ratified by this Government? Why have consented silently to all my transactions in reference to it? Why have you allowed me to compromyself 36 and associates in the matter? You have seen in what light I have regarded that contract and in what manner I have spoken of it to the world; you have seen my designs and expectations publicly set forth in a printed pamphlet which I had the honor to transmit to this Government - and yet no dissent has been offered to my pretensions nor objection made to the course I was '"The hyphenation of the word "compro" is incomplete. Lamar probably meant "compromise." Google
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