His term of office passed, and the controversy fell into the hands of Lord Palmerston, the jingoistic spirit who began at this time to dominate British foreign policy, and of James Buchanan, who, known to us as a spineless seeker after peace where there was no peace, was at this time riding into national leadership on a wave of expansionist enthusiasm.
Buchanan and Palmerston mutually shook the stage thunder of verbal extravagance, but probably neither intended war.

Poker was at this time the national American game, and bluff was a highly developed art.

The American player won a partial victory.

In 1856 Great Britain agreed to withdraw her protectorate over the Mosquitoes, to acknowledge the supremacy of Honduras over the Bay Islands, and to accept a reasonable interpretation of the Belize boundary.

Though this convention was never ratified, Great Britain carried out its terms, and in 1860 Buchanan announced himself satisfied.
The dreams of 1850, however, were not satisfied.