Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1890

Mr. Ryan to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Mexico, July 30, 1890. (Received August 8.)

No. 353.]

Sir: Referring to the attitude Mexico proposed maintaining toward the pending war between Guatemala and Salvador, I have the honor to advise the Department that on the 25th I received a note from Mr. Aspiroz stating that—

In order to inform you of the intentions of the President, I pray that you will take the trouble to come to this department to-morrow between 11 and 12 o’clock.

At the designated time I called upon Mr. Aspiroz, and was informed by him that, in the interview with the President, the latter had fully confirmed his statements to me in the interview referred to in my said dispatch of the 25th instant, and that the President would be pleased if the United States would join Mexico in offering friendly offices for the restoration of peace upon the basis of territorial integrity and independence of the nations respectively involved in the war; and, if for any reason the Government of the United States did not care to act in the matter jointly with Mexico, the President would be pleased if it would so act separately. I suggested the expediency of formulating the President’s views upon the subject in a memorandum, and stated that upon receipt thereof I would instantly communicate the same to my Government. Soon after he sent me the memorandum, copy of which I inclose, with its translation. At the earliest practicable moment thereafter I wired the Department.

It will be observed that Mr. Azpiroz, in the memorandum, referring to our interview of the 24th instant, says that I, “having expressed the desire of the Government of the United States to be advised, etc.” What I did say was that the relations Mexico proposed maintaining respecting the contest was a matter of some importance and interest to the people and Government of the United States.

I am, etc.,

Thos. Ryan.

[Inclosure in No. 353.—Translation.]

Memorandum.

Foreign Office, July 26, 1890.

His Excellency the United States minister, in an interview day before yesterday with the subsecretary in charge of the department of foreign affairs, having expressed the desire of the Government of the United States to be advised of the action proposed to be taken by that of Mexico in regard to the question now being decided by force of arms between Guatemala and Salvador, the subsecretary informed His Excellency the minister, confidentially and unofficially, that Mexico would maintain a strict neutrality; but that her Government was disposed to exert friendly offices to restore peace in Central America on the basis of respect towards the autonomy and independence and the integrity of the territory of each of the Central American States.

At a conference had to-day between the same gentlemen the subsecretary of foreign affairs confirmed the foregoing, and prayed His Excellency the minister, if no objection prevails, to be pleased to ascertain and to communicate to him whether the Government of the United States would be disposed to agree to act with Mexico in the interposition of such good offices, under forms to be determined by the first-named Government, or whether it would prefer to have each Government act in that interest independently; and whether, in such event, the Government of Mexico may shape her action subject to agreement with the Government of the United States in reference thereto.