No. 82.
Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.
[Extract.]
United
States Legation in Central America,
Punta Arenas, Costa Rica
,
December 11, 1873. (Rec’d Dec. 30.)
No. 72.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of
the memorandum of the conversation had yesterday morning with President
Guardia, the result of which I gave you in my No. 71, written immediately
after its occurrence, so as to send by the ship then in port, bound for
Panama. You will notice that Mr. Edwin Corbett, Her British Majesty’s
minister, took part in the interview and co-operated with me partly.
Although I did not understand him to commit himself in the conversation to
the plan of a personal conference of the five Presidents, yet I feel assured
it meets his approval, and that his presence was taken by President Guardia
as tantamount to an unqualified indorsement. So far everything looks
favorable to the proposed personal conference, but I cannot say I feel
certain it will take place, or that the good consequences will [Page 127] flow from it which I should be
glad to witness. My belief, however, is (if the meeting is held) it will
lead to a better understanding, if not to good-will, between the several
Presidents, and thereby give the tranquillity to these states so much
needed, and which, under these peculiar systems of personal governments,
seems unattainable at present by any other means. The only man I have any
doubt of is President Guardia.* * * A short time ago he placed the
“executive power” in the hands of one of his friends and ministers,
Gonzalez. In a few days afterward he resumed it, and Gonzalez and several of
his advisers left the capital, it is presumed by order of the President. He
retained the executive power for two days, accepted the resignation of all
his ministers except two, and after appointing the two to perform all the
ministerial duties, he placed the executive power in the hands of his uncle,
Rafael Barroeta, who stills holds it nominally, while in truth Guardia is
President and in command of the army as general-in-chief. These facts speak
for themselves, and indicate a state of mind or condition of affairs not
calculated to produce a conviction that President Guardia will attend the
conference. On my way back to Guatemala I shall acquaint the Presidents of
Nicaragua and Salvador with the result of the interview. If Leiva has been
installed in Honduras I shall write him an unofficial note, or go to
Comayagua to present my letter of credence if the state of the country will
permit me.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
Memorandum of conversation held this day between
President Guardia, Edwin Corbett, esq. and Geo. Williamson,
esq.
Punt a
Arenas, Costa Rica
,
December 10, 1873.
The conversation began by the two last-named gentlemen stating they felt
assured the other republics of Central America, and especially
Guatemala, were anxiously desirous of preserving and cultivating
peaceful relations with Costa Rica. This assurance was given more
emphatically for the states of Salvador and Nicaragua by the said George
Williamson, esq., who had recently visited them and talked freely with
their government officials and people, but in regard to the anxiety of
the existing government of Guatemala for undisturbed peace with all the
other Central American states the said Edwin Corbett, esq., and George
Williamson were equally positive. President Guardia then stated he was
as desirous of peace as any one could be, and he believed more so than
the chief executives of the other states, because he and his country had
more at stake than the others. He said that war would seriously
embarrass (if it did not entirely prevent) the building of the Costa
Rica Railroad, a grand enterprise which he had inaugurated, and in which
his personal pride was involved as well as his sense of patriotic duty.
His assurance of the pacific disposition of himself and the people of
Costa Rica was quite strong. Mr. Williamson then stated he and Mr.
Corbett had in their possession letters from the minister of foreign
affairs of Guatemala, which they proposed to show to President Guardia,
as they contained written assurances of the pacific intentions of that
state. The letters were exhibited and read by President Guardia, and he
stated that he had been advised of the discussion recenty held between
the Presidents of Guatemala and Salvador at Chingo, so far as it
affected Costa Rica affairs; and that after hearing the peaceable views
expressed at said meeting by said Presidents, he had suspended his
preparations for this war which he had believed it was intended to wage
against Costa Rica. He said he was prepared for war at that time, and
could have landed on any part of the hostile coast fifteen hundred armed
men. He expressed satisfaction that the newspaper attacks on him in
Guatemala and Salvador had been stopped. Mr. Williamson then stated
that, of his own motion, it had occurred to him, from his personal
knowledge of the Presidents of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Salvador, and
Nicaragua, and of the causes of misunderstanding between them, that, if
they could be brought together face to face and talk over their affairs,
a better feeling would result and a stop be put to the repeated [Page 128] threats of war and civil
disturbances. The difficulty was to bring about such a meeting without a
sacrifice of the official or personal dignity of any of the Presidents.
He mentioned this subject first to the minister of foreign affairs of
Guatemala, who told him the project of such a personal interview had
been talked over at Chin go between Presidents Barrios and Gonzalez, and
that Mr. Williamson had been mentioned in that interview as the person
whose official position as minister to all the Central American states
might enable him to invite such a personal conference. At the instance
of the said minister and in his presence, and in the presence of Mr.
Samayoa and others, government officials, Mr. Williamson had an
interview with President Barrios on this subject. The President
expressed himself desirous of such an interview, and the belief it could
result in a good understanding between the states, but stated it would
require tact for it to be brought about without touching the sensibility
of some of the Presidents. He felt assured there would not be the
slightest hesitation upon the part of the Presidents of Salvador and
Nicaragua, and that he also felt assured that Leiba, who would very soon
(in all probability) become the President of Honduras, would heartly
concur. Mr. Williamson told him he thought he knew President Guardia
well enough to feel assured that he would cheerfully consent to such an
interview, and that he believed he could approach him on the subject
without in any way compromising the personal or official sensibility of
any one. President Barrios then insisted Mr. Williamson should make the
attempt, and the latter consented, especially as he was also desirous of
seeing President Guardia as to the amicable settlement of the boundary
question between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. President Guardia said in
reply to this he would be pleased to meet the other Presidents at a time
and place to be agreed upon, and indicated as his choice of the place of
meeting either San José or the city of Guatemala. The time and place of
meeting could not be agreed upon for obvious reasons; but President
Guardia said he was willing to meet the other presidents at any time and
place that might be selected. After some further conversation on minor
topics the conference closed.
This memorandum has been prepared since, in accordance with a suggestion
of President Guardia that something should be written, and it is signed
by all of the parties to said conference.
- T. GUARDIA.
- GEO. WILLIAMSON.
I recognize the correctness of the above statement as far as it
relates to the interview of this day.
EDWIN CORBETT.
December 10,
1873.