No. 407.
Mr. Biddle to Mr. Fish.
San Salvador, June 20, 1872. (Received July 18.)
Sir: Referring to your dispatch No. 22, I have the honor to state that the trial of Ex-President Dueñas is slowly progressing before the supreme tribunal of Salvador.
I transmit herewith for your information a printed copy of the speech in the senate of the licentiate Don Antonio Grimaldi, (now the minister of the interior,) supporting the accusations against the ex-President before that body, and also of the condemnatory decree pronounced by the senate in the same session, referring the case to the adjudication of the courts.
You will perceive by the multifarious charges thus preferred through the senate that the trial will be protracted. It is thought that it may extend over a twelvemonth from this date, and perhaps longer. The prosecution endeavors to distort into assassinations the death-penalties inflicted under his administration by military commissions and other summary tribunals, in order to bring the accusations within the constitutional limitation as to capital punishment. The popular temper at the conclusion of the trial will materially influence the sentence. Meantime the ex-President continues a close prisoner in the military college.
I will diligently watch and, promptly report the proceedings against [Page 538] him, and, if his life should be imperiled, will remind the Salvadorean government of the pledge given to my predecessor, and will state that it is expected that pledge will be observed.
I have, &c.,