Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, with the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1875, Volume I
No. 114.
Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.
Guatemala, May 13, 1875. (Received June 14.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose you a printed copy and translation of the message of President Guardia, of Costa Rica, delivered to the congress on the 1st of May.
The document does not appear to contain anything of special significance, but your attention is called to its pacific tone. I beg leave to invite your attention to the marked passages of the translation and of the original. I believe it is true, as therein stated, that no event has occurred of sufficient importance to disturb the friendly relations existing between Costa Rica, Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala since the proposed meeting of the five presidents.
The threat of rupture between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, occasioned by the events of last October, reported by me in my No. 267,* from San Juan del Sur, led to much correspondence, and may be productive of good, if all the disturbing questions are submitted to arbitration, as would seem to be probable from the papers sent you with my No. 356.
Notwithstanding the professedly hopeful tone of the message with reference to the railroad, I still entertain the opinion that it will not be finished during President Guardians administration.
I have, &c.,
Message of President Guardia.
Honorable representatives of the people:
If the opening of your ordinary sessions has always been very pleasing to me, to-day I greet it with more enthusiasm than ever, because it affords me the opportunity of [Page 172] depositing in the august bosom of the national representation a faithful account of the principal events that have taken place since your adjournment, a succinct report of the most important affairs of the administration, and, although a rough drawing, a picture of the actual situation of the republic.
Your reunion, honorable representatives, takes place in the midst of tranquillity and peace. Let us appreciate that immense blessing, to the obtainance of which I have directed all of my resources, because peace is the greatest of all good; the first necessity of these countries for the development of their great resources; and, as for myself, peace is one of the promises contained in the programme that I formed when I was called to direct the destinies of the country.
On the altars of peace everything ought to be sacrificed, except independence and the dignity and honor of the republic; and an equal obligation rests upon me to labor for the preservation of internal order, because the consequences of anarchy and civil war are immense and disastrous.
During the years that I have passed in the high position that I still occupy the world has been able to contemplate Costa Rica, free from those revolts that are agitating many countries of this continent, victims of grave disturbances, of which the result is uncertain in reference to obtaining a positive advancement, but the bitter fruits are soon certain, showing themselves in the bloodshed, the tears poured out, the reign of distrust, and consequently in the loss of the social well-being, the paralyzation of the progressive movement of the public wealth.
I do not consider myself as deserving any glory for having maintained interior order; attribute it principally to the morality, to the pacific and generous character of the Costa Rican people, on good terms with the present situation, that allows the freed-man and laborer to use profitably their productive forces, under the protection of a system that has placed them in the most favorable situation.
If I have any merit for preserving this inappreciable good, it is only in fulfilling a strict duty imposed upon the executive power by the constitution.
When on the 1st of May, 1872, I addressed the national representation, I could not but declare to you that formerly the political situation was distressing, from the revolutionary tendencies that were almost openly manifested, by the facility with which changes could be brought about, resulting from weakened institutions, with a contempt for law, for the progress and prestige that ought to surround authority.
It is exactly one year since I had the pain of making known to you that for the first time I was under the necessity of informing you of different attempts undertaken to subvert public order; I could have repressed them with a strong hand, because the proceedings of those who were trying by every means to change the political situation were not hidden from me.
As I have already said, I firmly believe that the first care of the executive ought to be the preservation of order; but in the presence of a revolution in embryo, it seemed best tome to continue yielding respect to personal guaranties, entertaining on the other hand a full confidence and an entire faith in the resources that nature has placed in my hands, that I could be able to fulfill my high duties.
So it was that awaiting the development of the seditious plans, fully resolved to act as circumstances demanded, I accepted the invitation that was given me to be present at a feast that is celebrated every year at Desemparado, a village in which was to take place on that occasion a vile attempt against my person. I went alone, and did not permit that there should be given the guards asked for by the Jefé Politico of that district, who could see at the last hour the infamous plan of the revolutionists. The people having been made acquainted with what was passing, those vicious plans were wrecked before the general indignation; and then I enjoyed the satisfaction with which a great number of unarmed citizens encompassed me, responding nobly to the confidence of the threatened governor.
You remember that the above was transpiring, honorable representatives, before you closed your last sessions. The intrigues of the conspirators continued germinating, and the revolution broke out at last in Punta Arenas and Liberia; by accidental circumstances they obtained possession of the “cuartels” of that port and of that province.
I flew to quiet the disorder, moving only a small column of the army; the turbulent persons took to flight, only affording an opportunity of showing, in the affair, the resources of defense on which legitimate authority may depend, and the good feeling and enthusiasm of a people who knew how to gather around them only those who, delegated by the government, bear the majestic flag of their country.
Notwithstanding such events, such proofs, it is satisfactory to observe that respect for the head of authority, formerly so relaxed, has taken deep root, and that a government that has for a base the clear approval of the majority, preserves an existence before which the impotent and dark machinations, and the seditious cries uttered by those who are striving for power, pass away—a foolish enterprise that has been condemned by a national plebiscitum.
I ought not to conceal that I received spontaneous and popular ovations on returning [Page 173] from Punta Arenas and Liberia, having re-established in a very few days the lawful authorities, and without staining with blood the road that I passed. The councils of war fulfilled their duty in decreeing for the chief criminals capital punishment, but I have commuted it. You know, honorable representatives, that during my administration no gallows has been erected, nor a drop of blood spilled on the scaffold, and that I profess the principle that human life is inviolable. I wish, to the last, to sustain the innermost conviction of my heart.
The result of the revolution that broke out in Punta Arenas and Liberia is not the first example of that kind that the history of Costa Rica presents. Men of glorious antecedents, not only in this republic but in all Central America, because they struggled manfully and acquired reputation in the only war truly national, also with foreign assistance in 1860, in the same places in which, a few months since, those tried to raise their standard, who, without any merit, and committing a great crime, came to disturb the repose and peace; both suffered a reproof that cannot be fruitless.
The lamentable attempt at invasion that, in that epoch, now somewhat distant, rained blood on the shores at Punta Arenas, destroying two men surrounded by immense popularity, as the only good, produced an example for the future, and a reign of peace during nine years; the attempt that was essayed some months since, without anything to justify it, disclosing the weakness of the revolutionists, and the want of popularity they have in the country, it is natural that it will assure peace for a long time—a prophecy that can be based on acquired experience and on the logical order that events follow.
Costa Rica is not only at peace, but it is carefully cultivating the relations of friendship that bind it with the principal nations of Europe and America.
In reference to the republics, that during long ages, in union with this, formed a dependency of the crown of Spain and a united nation in the first years of its independent political existence, I ought to inform you that since the treaty of triple alliance that the governments of Nicaragua, Salvador, and Guatemala celebrated, of which you had opportune information, and since the friendly interposition of the representatives of Great Britain and of the United States; using the authorization of the aforementioned governments of those sister countries, no new event has come to disturb the good relations that we preserve with Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
The old question of boundaries with Nicaragua has produced a kind of stringency in the relations of the governments of the two republics; at present the situation is aggravated, from having placed a force on the frontier to cut off the retreat of those who invaded Guanacaste. However, the last communications exchanged between the two cabinets seem inspired by a conciliatory spirit, and open a way to obtain a peaceful solution of the pending difficulties.
The proper office will inform you of what concerns the foreign relations; the other secretaries of the state will do the same in their respective branches.
The republic continues advancing in the path of progress which it commenced since the work of the railroad was initiated. You are aware that since last year the government had to take in its charge this colossal work; not only has it attended to the preservation and improvement of the part already constructed, but it has increased the number of miles in use in the section which comes from the port of Limon toward the interior.
The forty-eight miles that the locomotives pass over daily are in such a fine condition that during three years we have not had to lament a single one of those unfortunate accidents that are accustomed to happen in other countries. The transit of passengers has increased so much that during the first quarter of this year 43,255 persons have traveled on the trains. These figures go to prove, again, how defective is the census taken in 1864, which gives to the capitals of the four provinces, including two divisions of Cartago, a population as low as 19,939 inhabitants.
The difficulties that arose with the banking-houses have prevented the completion of the railroad. The government, in the beginning of the work, had to expend in its preservation, repairing, developing, and relieving the debts of the same enterprise the enormous sum of more than one million and a half dollars. The reclamations in Europe are prosecuted with the energy the national interests demand. In the midst of obstacles, inseparable to so grand an enterprise, it is consoling to consider that, with these same difficulties, nations more rich and powerful have had to struggle and succeed in overcoming them by perseverance and abnegation. One of these countries has been the republic of Chili, which spent eleven years in the construction of its first railroad, situated in a stretch of country shorter and of more favorable geological conditions than that between this capital and Port Limon.
But the railroad of Costa Rica will be a fact. The government has received propositions that afford the means of converting it into an inter-oceanic road. It has abstained from accepting any of these, because it is trying the offer of others still more advantageous.
You know how the revenues have been almost tripled during the period of my administration, since in the last fiscal year they have increased to $2,812,584. In the [Page 174] same time in 1870, they scarcely amounted to $1,078,123. As a great decline in duties was expected, on account of failure of importations, caused by the large quantity of merchandise on hand, therefore, as is natural, a diminution in the receipts of the custom-house is perceived that no other branch of the revenues has suffered.
Public instruction, a fruitful source of grandeur and happiness for the future, has been attended to in a munificent manner. In accordance with the ideas that have directed my administration, and in the midst of difficulties that have surrounded it, it established recently the basis of a national institute that will soon be opened, with the co-operation of European professors whom the government has brought for that purpose, and who are already in this capital.
The republic progresses, and advances toward its glorious destinies.
God has blessed those fields moistened with the sweat of laboring Costa Ricans. The crop of coffee, as has been announced, has been abundant. There have been exported some 300,000 quintals that sold in Europe at good prices, that are sustained, in connection with various other articles of exportation, which, although of less importance, make a result of more than $6,000,000.
The maintenance of peace, the preservation of interior order, the certain completion of the railroad, and the development that has been seen for five years in this section in the branches that form the public wealth, I do not doubt, will raise Costa Rica to the high grade of prosperity to which it is called. To the attainment of this desire of all good citizens you will know how to contribute efficaciously, fulfilling with entire freedom the noble mission the people have conferred upon you; so provide for the good of the country and make good your well-known patriotism.
Permit me, before concluding, again to salute you, and to congratulate myself on your constitutional reunion.
Honorable representatives:
San José, May 1, 1875.
- Ante.↩