Señor Guirola to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, February 3, 1891. (Received February 4.)
Sir: The subject that I am about to state is to my mind of such grave importance that I can do no less than beg you to give it your distinguished attention. It concerns the precious possession of peace by nations which the United States regards as brothers, since they likewise are Americans.
Have the kindness, in the first place, Mr. Minister, to accept my apologies, and to believe that in penning these lines I am inspired by those same sentiments only, hoping that you will receive them with the same kindness with which you have hitherto deigned to honor my communications.
The Tribune, of New York, of the 29th ultimo, publishes and comments upon a letter which you will see in the clipping which I take the liberty of inclosing to you, and which Capt. Dick Falkenberg addresses to the President of Honduras, through a supposed agent of that country, there called Aguilera, but whom I believe to be the same Aguilar to whom I shall subsequently refer, who is engaged in that city—as gathered from the same letter—in making enlistments with a view of disturbing the peace between Guatemala and Honduras with Salvador. Other newspapers of the same origin declare that Gen. Reina Barrios and certain Messrs. Melgarejo and Aguilar (this must be the same Aguilera) are buying and embarking munitions of war on the part of Guatemala, attributing to said country the design of again making war upon Salvador. On the other hand, the ex-minister of this country to Central America, Mr. Mizner, in talking with a reporter in San Francisco, Cal., said that the treaty of peace which had been signed since the last war, to which Salvador was provoked by the Government of Guatemala and its ally, the Government of Honduras, is nothing but a truce, etc., which is all the more strange because that official exerted his offices in behalf of that peace in the name of the United States.
It is clear that that is not the authorized opinion of either of the Governments of the three Central American countries alluded to, nor of their agents clothed with official capacity, and still less when it is observed that no other statement, so far as I know, has caused even a suspicion that the peace between them was not adjusted with the firm and honorable purpose of making it lasting; but it is very obvious that malcontents, who exist under every political rule, good or bad, may be interested in interrupting that harmony at the cost of a new and bloody struggle, in which, undoubtedly, the other two neighboring and sister republics, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, will be involved; all of which [Page 84] States, by reason of ignoble passions and wicked ambitions, would be again further arrested in the path of progress, with the failure likewise of the colossal enterprise of the Interoceanic Canal across the latter State, in which the Government of the United States took the initiative.
The interest with which the Government of this country regards whatever has reference to the common good of all the governments of America, of which the proofs that might be adduced are not few, especially under the administration of which your excellency so worthily forms an important part, leads me to hope that the mischievous intention with which that letter was written will not pass unperceived, of whose opinions it is proper here to state that I speak hypothetically, inasmuch as no authenticity is given. The letter, well considered, is a disguised call for recruits, as for that purpose its author offers himself, a punishable act which the wise laws of this country condemn, and which ought to alarm its commerce, which has interests linked with that of Salvador, whose tranquillity it is desirable, for this reason, should not be disturbed.
With this understanding, your excellency fully appreciating the intensity of my just fears and examining the reasons for their origin with your excellent and acknowledged judgment, any overthrow of the order established under favor of the peace and tranquillity which the other States of Central America enjoy would conduce to the injury and deterioration of the works so happily initiated by the Department of State since under your charge, tending to fraternize more every day the American republics, procuring the greatest possible extension of the commerce conducted between them; but apart from the consideration of economy, the other being more noble and generous, ought assuredly to particularly interest you; and in which sense and with such motives the Government of the United States has interposed its powerful influence in their case. And how often have we seen quiet reëstablished between contending sister states on hearing the disinterested exhortations of the North American Government towards reconciliation. These dissensions, as you well know, have been and might continue to be an obstacle to the republics of Central America in fully entering upon the career of prosperity to which they are destined by their advantageous geographical position; and it would be as grievous as unjustifiable to come again to another disastrous struggle, which Salvador, being challenged, could do no less than accept to its sorrow, no doubt, were said provocation from Guatemala or directed by it to its ally, the Republic of Honduras. But the affair so far seems only a matter of supposition, both what the press has said about the purchases of arms, munitions, etc., that Guatemala is making and the letter which I have mentioned; but, admitting the possibility of the accusation made being unhappily confirmed, and without claiming that the author of the said letter should be brought to trial, I nevertheless indulge the hope that you will find means to put a stop to the prosecution of so criminal a purpose and, if you think proper, to give seasonable orders of a preventive character only.
I ought not to conclude this communication without observing to you that, fearing to disturb the rest which has duly prevailed in all the departments of your Government on occasion of the sad death of the Hon. Mr. Windom, I desired to delay it until to-day, and in doing so I take pleasure in renewing to your excellency the assurances of the high esteem and respect with which I have the honor to subscribe myself, etc.,