No. 63.
Mr. Hall to
Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States in Central America,
Guatemala, November 8, 1886.
(Received December 1.)
No. 582.]
Sir: Your instruction No. 379 of the 12th of
August, inclosing a copy of an interest-bearing bond purporting to have been
issued by Nicaragua in 1856, was received at the legation during my absence
in Honduras. Upon my return, in September, I addressed a note to the
minister for foreign affairs of Nicaragua, requesting such information as he
might be able to give as to the genuineness of the bond in question. I now
inclose a copy and translation of his reply, in which is transcribed a
communication upon the subject from the minister of the treasury.
It is alleged that no record exists of the decree of the 28th August, 1856,
under which the supposed bond is said to have been issued, nor any of the
bond itself. The minister infers from the dates mentioned that it is the
work of the so-called Walker Government, whose acts have never been
recognized by any Government of Nicaragua since that time.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 582.]
Mr. Hall to Señor
Castellon.
Legation of the United States in Central
America,
Guatemala, September 22,
1886.
Mr. Minister: I beg leave to annex hereto a
copy of an interest-bearing bond, No. 69, for $200, purporting to have
been issued in virtue of a decree of the Government of Nicaragua of the
28th August, 1856; it bears date of November 1, 1856, and is made
payable at the Bank of Louisiana at New Orleans in gold or silver coin
or the equivalent.
Inquiry having been made at the Department of State in regard to this
bond, the matter has been referred to me for such information as I may
possess or may be able to obtain in regard to its genuineness or
validity. If your excellency will kindly furnish me with any information
on the subject to enable me to answer the inquiry of the Department, I
shall be very greatly obliged.
Renewing, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 582.]
Republic of Nicaragua.
$200.]
[$200.
No. (69). Know all men by these presents that the Republic of Nicaragua
is indebted to the bearer hereof in the sum of $200, for value received,
which the said Republic promises to pay at the Bank of Louisiana, in the
city of New Orleans, in gold or silver coin, or their equivalent in
other currencies, in twenty years from the date hereof; and also to pay
an interest thereon at the rate of 6 percent, per annum, payable at the
bank aforesaid, at the end of each and every year upon the delivery of
the warrants in the margin hereof.
This bond is transferable by delivery, and the holder shall have the
right to give it in payment at par for one-half of the amount he may owe
the Government for any customs, dues, taxes, or local contributions
which may be laid or levied by the Republic of Nicaragua.
[Page 76]
In witness whereof, the agents (commissariat) of
the said Republic of Nicaragua sign these presents with their secretary,
who countersigns the same and affixes hereto the seal of the said
republic, in pursuance of a decree of said republic, dated on the 28th
day of August, A. D. 1756, duly deposited and recorded in the office of
William Christy, notary public, in the city of New Orleans, the 28th day
of October, 1856.
Done at New Orleans,
this 1st day of
November, 1856.
Mason
Pilcher
,
S. F.
Slatter,
Agents
.
[
seal.]
C. W.
Muncaster,
Secretary.
[Coupon.]
$12. Republic of Nicaragua, $12. Government bond No. 69 for $200
interest warrant for $12, payable at the Bank of Louisiana, New
Orleans, on the 1st day of November, 1808, fixed.
Coupons from 1857 to 1876, inclusive. The 1857 is cut off.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
582.—Translation.]
Señor Castellon to
Mr. Hall.
Department of Foreign Relations of Nicaragua,
Managua, October 18, 1886.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that having
transcribed to the minister of the treasury your esteemed note of the
22d September, together with a copy of the bond accompanying it, I have
received the reply, of which the following is a copy:
“I have had the honor to receive the communication that you were pleased
to address me on the 8th inst., in which is transmitted the note of the
minister of the United States, dated the 22d of September, inquiring as
to the authenticity and validity of the supposed bond of this Republic
issued, as it is pretended, in conformity with a decree of the
Government of Nicaragua of the 28th of August, 1856. A textual copy of
the bond accompanies the above-mentioned note.
“The mentioned decree is not known to the Government, nor does it exist
on the records of our loans, nor is the obligation to which it refers a
legitimate debt of the Republic. By the dates that are cited I perceive
that it must be the work of the filibusters of Walker, who were here
about that time, and whose history of depredation and rapine is well
known. Of course the foreign usurpers never had any right to compromise
the credit of this Republic.”
In transcribing to you the foregoing note of the minister of the treasury
I have the honor to renew, etc.,
