Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 7, 1874

No. 74.
Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.

United States Legation in Central America,
Nicaragua, November 2, 1873. (Received Dec. 2.)

No. 49.

Sir: Inclosed I have the honor to transmit yon a translated copy of the treaty of August 26, 1873, recently ratified by the governments of Guatemala, Salvador, and Nicaragua, and which, without doubt, will also be ratified by the new government that is proposed to be organized in Honduras.

I beg to call your attention to the fifth article, and to remark that I believe in the four states named there is a strong and growing disposition to adopt the principle of confederation. Costa Rica stands aloof now, because her people, in my opinion, are opposed to confederation with the other states.

* * * * * * *

I have, &c.,

GEO. WILLIAMSON.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Treaty concluded between the republics of Guatemala, Salvador, and Nicaragua, by General Don Buenaventura Carazo and Bon Anselmo H. Rivas, in the city of Managua, on the 26th of August, 1873.

• Article 1. The republics of Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua pledge themselves in the most solemn manner to labor with all zeal for the consolidation of liberal principles in each one of them, lending for this purpose, mutually, all their moral support.
• Art. 2. The high contracting parties, being convinced that the present administration of Costa Rica is hostile to the peace of the Central American States, pledge themselves to maintain a defensive alliance against that government. In consequence, should any of these states be invaded by forces of the government of Costa Rica, or by expeditions of any kind proceeding from that state, the other states will lend aid of all kinds that may be asked, unless they find themselves in the same condition.
• Art. 3. The high contracting parties will agree among themselves in regard to the number of men which each of them must furnish to guard the frontier of Costa Rica. The auxiliary forces will be under the orders of the state, receiving aid as soon as they enter the territory of such state.
• Art. 4. If all the resources shall be exhausted which are recognized by international law as indispensable to prevent disruption, and if the majority of the high contracting parties shall consider the guarantee offered by the defensive attitude mentioned in the above articles to be insufficient, an offensive alliance shall be formed, the details of which shall be settled by a separate convention.
• Art. 5. The governments mentioned agree that, when the circumstances which cause this alliance shall no longer exist, they will earnestly labor for the formation of a common government for the republics of Central America, and in case they shall meet with any serious unexpected difficulties, they will take active steps to secure uniform legislation, weights, measures, and foreign representation, and will do all in their power to strengthen the bonds which unite the people of Central America.
• Art. 6. The high contracting parties solemnly pledge themselves from this time forth to develop, in separate conventions, the principles laid down in the above article, in order that the bonds of fraternity which now finite them may be strengthened.
• Art. 7. The republics of Salvador and Guatemala agree that, so soon as the present situation of Costa Rica shall be changed, they will take the initiative, in order that the boundary question pending between Nicaragua and that republic may be arranged in a friendly manner and in accordance with the interests of both parties, and if this cannot be done, that it shall be decided by arbitration, as stipulated between the two countries, in as short a time as possible, to the end that a stop may be put to the hostile feelings which it originates between them.
• Art. 8. The high contracting parties pledge themselves to solicit the adhesion of the government of Honduras to the present treaty; also to propose its adoption to the republic of Costa Rica whenever the circumstances of her government may appear favorable and promise to be permanent.
• Art. 9. The present treaty shall be ratified in due form and its ratifications exchanged at this capital within seventy days, reckoning from its date, or earlier if possible.

Having faith that each one of the high contracting parties will religiously comply with all of the above stipulations, the plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed the present treaty at Managua, on the 26th day of the month of August, in the year 1873.

• BUENAVENTURA CARAZO.
• A. H. RIVAS.