Mr. Yrisarri to Mr. Seward.
The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of the republic of Guatemala and Salvador, has the honor to make known to his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States of America that he has seen in several newspapers of this country a speech which is said to have been made by the President of these States to a committee of colored persons on the 14th instant, in which speech there is an offer made to that committee to provide for people of color by establishing a colony of their race in Central America, his excellency adding that βhe would endeavor to have them made equals, and that he had the best assurance that they would be as good as the best.β
As Central America is nothing more than the union of the five republics of Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the two first being the most important on account of their population and extent of territory, and as the undersigned represents these two republics in the United States, he deems it his duty to represent to his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States that in those two republics no kind of colonization of foreigners, whether white, black, or other color, is allowed without a special permission from the respective governments, the colonists being held to the fulfilment of such conditions as it may be thought proper to impose on them.
The undersigned regrets to find himself under the necessity of addressing this communication to his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States, but as in the general term of Central America the two republics of Guatemala and Salvador are comprised, he has thought it his duty to signify that it ought not to be understood that they are comprised according to the strict terms of the speech published in the name of the President of the United States.
On this occasion the undersigned has the honor to renew to his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States of America the assurances of his highest consideration.
His Excellency William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States of America, &c., &c., &c.