Mr. Hall to Mr. Bayard.
Guatemala, May 16, 1885. (Received June 16.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of two telegrams I addressed to you yesterday, relating to the insurrection in Salvador and the resignation and departure from the country of President Zaldivar.
The recent attempt of General Barrios to unite the Central American States was supported by several military officers of Salvador, among others, Generals Menendez and Perez. * * *
There were also with the army of Barrios some three hundred Salvadorians under the command of Menendez. These, after the withdrawal of the Guatemalan forces, appear to have become a nucleus on the frontier of Guatemala and Salvador for other Salvadorian malcontents, and some ten days ago it was said their number had increased to five hundred and upwards, and that there were other forces in the State ready to join them in a revolutionary movement against Zaldivar.
The report proved to be well founded. Yesterday it was announced that Menendez and Perez had been joined by two or three thousand deserters $ that in two engagements the insurgents had been successful, and had gained possession of Santa Ana, the second place in importance in the State.
Almost immediately after receiving the news above referred to, the following telegram from our consul at San Salvador came to hand: “Congress gave Zaldivar leave of absence. He sailed to-day for Panama by the Uarda [a German steamer], leaving his resignation.” Later in the day I received a telegram from the minister for foreign affairs of Salvador. It confirmed the consul’s report, and further announced that General Figueroa had assumed the Presidency. Telegrams from Salvador, received here to day, report that emissaries of the Government have been sent to confer with Menendez, and that the belief is that there will be a peaceful settlement of difficulties by the election of Menendez to the Presidency.
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I am, &c.,