Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1890
Mr. Mizner to Mr. Blaine.
Guatemala, August 4, 1890. (Received August 21.)
Sir: Referring to my No. 130 of the 31st of last month, I have the honor to inclose herewith copy and translation of the correspondence between the minister of Nicaragua and the minister for foreign relations of Guatemala, dated, respectively, the 25th and 27th of July last, for the purpose of keeping you informed as to the opinions entertained by those officials, especially as to that of Guatemala.
The news of recent battles may have worked some changes in their views, as there seems to have been quite a conflict between the opinion expressed to me by the President on the 26th of July, to the effect that “Salvador must surrender her last gun to him and pay the expenses of [Page 51] the war,” and that expressed by his minister under his direction on the next day, as shown by the inclosure herewith.
I inclose to you, also, copy and translation of a telegram sent by the ministers of Nicaragua and Costa Rica to General Ezeta, the Provisional President of Salvador, on the subject of good offices, which telegram included copies of the correspondence referred to in my No. 130. As yet no answer has been received from General Ezeta.
I have, etc.,
Minister from Nicaragua to the minister of foreign relations of Guatemala.
Guatemala, July 25, 1890.
Mr. Minister: I have had the honor to receive your courteous communication of the 24th instant, in which Your Excellency confirms the news contained in the official papers on the unhappy events in the Salvador frontier and expresses the motives that compelled your Government to come into war with that Republic, in spite of all the means used in order to avoid a war that must be disastrous for the whole of Central America.
Your Excellency adds, that with the plausible object of avoiding war, the convention of peace of the 21st (19th) instant was made between Your Excellency’s Government and the legations of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, to which the Government of Honduras adhered; and that, in accordance with its object, the Guatemalan forces on the frontier had received strict orders to keep in a watching attitude; but that, doubtlessly, with the intention of frustrating said convention as far as the cessation of the Government de facto of General Ezeta is concerned, the Salvadorian troops, which would constantly provoke the Guatemalans, invaded at last Atescatempa, Guatemalan territory, and, as it was unprotected, they cruelly murdered women and children and set fire to the place.
Your Excellency goes on to say that before such abominable deeds took place the Government de facto of Salvador made incendiary utterances against Guatemala and armed the Guatemalan refugees with the idea of upsetting order in this Republic, and that, it being the duty of your Government to resist by all means the violation of its territory, and not feeling disposed to regard with indifference that all the inhabitants of the Republic, regardless of age and sex, should be continually threatened by the savage vandals that have been set against Guatemala by the despots that have seized power in Salvador, such events place your Government in the necessity of accepting war in defense of national honor and integrity, and of its most sacred rights, protesting before the world against the authors of such a fratricidal war and leaving all responsibility on the persons that have led the Salvador people to such an extreme. Your Excellency ends by giving assurances that all neutral persons and interests shall be respected; that war shall be limited to obtain the reëstablishment of peace and welfare in Central America, putting to play for this purpose all the facilities accorded to international law and demanded by the peculiar circumstances of the countries that occupy this part of the American continent.
I can not but deeply regret, Mr. Minister, the events Your Excellency acquaints me with; but, since it has been impossible to prevent war, I trust that the convention we have had the honor of signing shall lead to the reëstablishment of order and of a lawful government in Salvador; for this alone, under the present circumstances, can secure the peace and welfare of Central America, as Your Excellency mentions, and this would be the only response to the spirit of Central American feeling with which the events in Salvador have inspired Guatemala, and which the other Republics promptly indorsed by sending their delegates, who made the convention referred to.
On such consideration it would be highly satisfactory to me, in informing my Government of the note I have the honor to answer, as Your Excellency wishes me to do, to be enabled at the same time to assure that, in spite of the war so unforeseenly broken out, which I deeply lament, the diplomatic convention shall be carried on, which, in my opinion, provides for the true interest of Central America. To this effect, I would request Your Excellency to make an explicit declaration in confirmation of my judgment.
I remain, etc.,
Minister of Foreign Relations of Guatemala to the Minister from Nicaragua.
Mr. Minister: Yesterday I had the honor of receiving your courteous note of the 25th instant in answer to my memorandum relative to the acceptance of the unjust war brought against Guatemala by the Government de facto of the neighboring Republic of Salvador.
As it might be expected, from your elevated feelings and from the spirit of Central Americanism which animates the Government of Nicaragua, as well as the others that signed or adhered to the convention of the 21st instant, Your Excellency can not but deeply regret the events referred to in my note of the 24th. Your Excellency says, since it has been impossible to prevent war. Your Excellency trusts that the convention referred to shall lead to the reëstablishment of order and of a lawful Government in Salvador; for this alone, under the present circumstances, can secure peace and prosperity in Central America, thus responding to the brotherly feeling Guatemala was actuated by on the occasion of the events in Salvador, which the other republics promptly indorsed, sending their delegates, who made the convention referred to. On such consideration, Your Excellency adds, it would be highly satisfactory, in informing your Government of my note, to be in a position at the same time to assure that, in spite of the war so unforeseenly broken out, which Your Excellency deeply laments, the diplomatic convention shall be carried on, which, in your opinion, provides for the true interest of Central America; for which purpose Your Excellency requests that my Government should make an explicit declaration in confirmation of your judgment.
I have received instructions from the President of this Republic to tell Your Excellency that the Government of Guatemala thinks that the diplomatic convention of the 21st instant, if strictly observed, would lead to the reëstablishment of order and peace, according to republican principles, which, in prescribing unconditional obedience to the constitution, furnish the only means of returning Salvador to legal government, imparting to that sister Republic and to the others in Central America the tranquillity so urgently wanted.
Accordingly, although said convention has not legal force, not having been ratified yet by the Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica (a ratification necessary to consider it strictly binding), I must say that said convention contains the exact views of Guatemala in the present emergency, and that, therefore, the same purposes to abide by its stipulations, provided, though, that the other high contracting parties will strictly fulfill their engagements, as it is to be expected, about which I request Your Excellency, as far as Nicaragua is concerned, to make an explicit statement in confirmation of this opinion, hoping to get a similar statement from His Excellency the minister for Costa Rica, to whom, for this purpose, I send a copy of this note.
I am, etc.,
To Gen. Carlos Ezeta, Santa Ana:
In fulfillment of instructions from the Governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, which we have respectively the honor to represent, we have solicited the help and coöperation of the diplomatic corps accredited in Central America for the mediation we have decided to offer in order to put an end to the disastrous war which unfortunately has broken out between Guatemala and Salvador.
For this purpose, in the name of our Governments, we have addressed to said diplomatic corps the following communication:
“Legations of Costa Rica and
Nicaragua,
“Guatemala, July
30, 1890.
“Sir: Accepting the invitation addressed by Guatemala to the other Republics in Central America, in order that they should coöperate with their influence to the reestablishment of peace and order in Salvador, the Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica have done us the honor of appointing us envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary to Guatemala. With the view of fulfilling the end of our mission, we signed the diplomatic convention with the Government of Guatemala that Your Excellency knows.
“Unfortunately, war has broken out before such convention could be put into effect, and in such an emergency, earnestly desiring to avoid the havoc of a struggle between sister countries, and in fulfillment of one of the principal objects of our mission, we have decided to offer our mediation, and we hope that, inspired, as Your Excellency [Page 53] is, with the warmest sympathy towards these countries, Your Excellency will coöperate in the form that may be found most suitable for the attainment of this humane end.
“As circumstances are so pressing, as Your Excellency knows, we request Your Excellency that any resolution that may be arrived at should be communicated to us with as little delay as possible.
“We are, etc.,
“José Ma. Castro and G. Larios.”
The answer to the foreging note was as follows:
“Guatemala, July 30, 1890.
“Messrs. Ministers: In answer to the courteous note Your Excellencies addressed to us under to day’s date, we beg to inform Your Excellencies that, inspired with the most earnest wish to contribute as much as possible to the reëstablishment of peace between the Republics of Guatemala and Salvador, we are disposed to interpose our good offices, without any delay, in the form that may seem most agreeable and conciliatory.
“In view of the gravity of circumstances, we purpose at once to tender our good offices to this Government for the reëstablishment of peace, within the limits of neutrality, and the respect due to its full, free action.
“As regards the Provisional Government of Salvador, we wish to know whether it is disposed or not to accept the diplomatic mediation Your Excellencies refer to; and perhaps your cooperation might assist us in finding what is the exact disposition of General Ezeta, as well as in letting us know who is the person that is to represent him in a matter we are so directly concerned in, taking into consideration the representative character we are invested with towards that Republic, as well as the respect and duties inherent thereto. For the latter purpose we shall be most happy to confer with Your Excellencies, and assure Your Excellencies that we will omit no means within our power to aid in the attainment of such noble purposes as contained in your note.
“We are, etc.,
“Lansing B.
Mizner,
“United States
Minister.
“Julio de
Arellano,
“Minister for
Spain.
“L. Reynaud,
“Chargé d’Affaires for France.
“Arthur Chapman,
“H. B. M’s Acting Chargé d’Affaires.
“Paul Schmaeck,
“Acting Chargé d’Affaires for Germany.
“To Their Excellencies Don José Ma. Castro, minister for Costa Rica, Don Gilberto Larios, minister for Nicaragua.
“Therefore, in order to enable us to carry on our purpose, we request you to be so kind as to let us know your views regarding the suggestions contained in the foregoing notes.
“We are your very attentive and obedient servants,
- “José Ma. Castro.
- “G. Larios.”