Foreign Relations of the United States, 1894, Nicaragua (Mosquito Territory)
No. 90.
Mr. Baker
to Mr. Gresham.
Managua, August 11, 1894. (Received September 4.)
Sir: On the 29th ultimo, after our last mail for the States had departed, I received the letter from Minister Madriz, herein marked Inclosure No. 2. Inclosure No. 1 is my letter, to which he replies. The letter from Mr. Seat, referred to in this correspondence, was sent to you by Consul Braida, and my reply to that letter went to yon in my No. 344.
I am, etc.,
Mr. Baker to Mr. Madriz.
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Salvador,
Managua, July 26, 1894.
Mr. Minister: I submit to you and through you to His Excellency, the President, for your and his information, two official reports received by me from Bluefields. Please observe that they are to be returned to me.
(1) In the fourteenth paragraph of Commander O’Neil’s report you will not fail to observe the following:
But I must confess that I find that the-sympathies of nearly all the foreigners arc with the Mosquito government.
The reason (I think you will agree with me) is plain. Nicaragua has failed to give those people a more satisfactory government than the old regime did. In other words, Nicaraguan officials sent to rule those people have not, by their official acts, succeeded in gaining the confidence of the foreign citizens of the reserve. Confidence inspires loyalty. All those people can be made your warm friends and defenders if a just and conciliatory course is pursued by you.
(2) I call your attention to the report of B.B. Seat, esq., United States consular agent at Blueflelds, made to Consul Braida. This report gives internal evidence of its unvarnished truthfulness. On page 8 of this report, Mr. Seat gives it as his opinion that no American of any standing, and perhaps no one, had anything to do with the late uprising.
(3) I beg to call your excellency’s attention to inclosure No. 3. Such arbitrary, unjust, and utterly senseless action as the one here reported will not go a long way toward creating a public sentiment among the foreigners residing in the Mosquito Reserve for the Supreme Government of Nicaragua.
(4) A Mrs. Anderson, whose husband resides near Grey Town, called upon me yesterday, and stated that an attempt was made at Grey Town to collect a large amount of duties upon their household goods, effects, etc., contrary to law. But, as she said she was going directly to the proper minister about the matter, I presume she had no difficulty in having the matter adjusted in a just manner.
(5) My fourth inclosure is a telegram from Henry Palazio, esq., in reference to the mate of the steamship San Jose. If there is anything [Page 157] either you or I can do to get this matter settled in a just way, kindly let me know.
I beg your careful and thoughtful attention to all of the inclosures; and I will ask you to preserve and return them all to me.
With sentiments of high esteem, I have the honor to subscribe myself, your obedient servant,
Mr. Madriz to Mr. Baker.
Managua, July 28, 1894.
Mr. Minister: I have read to the President your excellency’s valuable communication of yesterday, and its contents have been well noted.
Your excellency is acquainted with this Government’s policy toward the Mosquito Reservation. It is interested in the peace and prosperity of that region, by means of a system of liberty and justice. If unusual circumstances have prevented the fulfillment of its desires, the soundness of its principles remains beyond doubt.
I fully appreciate the fact that the foreigners and particularly the Jamaicans are more in sympathy with the old regime. It would be absurd to suppose otherwise. The reservation has been unconditionally under their control, and therefore the intervention of an authority which watches bud corrects irregularities is not at all pleasing to them.
I have been pained to observe the harshness with which Vice-Consul Seat speaks of Nicaragua; but it is not the first time he has done so. During his recent visit to the United States the American press echoed his sentiments, which were highly offensive to the honor of this people. Such a thing is not becoming in one of his position, and I should be much pained if some day an official communication of that nature should pass between us, because I should be unwillingly compelled to call Mr. Seat to the path of decorum and procedure according to the practices of international law.
I especially call your excellency’s attention to the closing words of Mr. Seat’s letter to Consul Braida: “If an attack were made now it would be a very different thing Iroui when Lacayo arrived here some months ago.” These words contain a threat and show that Mr. Seat is in sympathy with the rebellion. They remain from now on, as a precedent for an investigation, which I shall make upon my arrival at Blue-fields. I do not consider this latter as difficult as Mr. Seat thinks.
As to that relating to the detention of steamers, I have to say that as there is a custom-house at Rama, the entering or leaving the port at night is necessarily prohibited for the protection of the fiscal interests. If this is a detriment to private interests, much greater damage would be caused to the Government under a contrary regulation, because it would expose the port to smuggling.
Moreover, according to the laws of the reservation, ships carrying articles of commerce to any point therein are obliged to stop at Blue-fields and have their cargo examined and pay the customs dues. Why does not Mr. Seat complain about this?
Notwithstanding the above, the Government knows that General Cabezas has reestablished, as heretofore, traffic at all hours.
[Page 158]It is evident from Mr. Seat’s confession that Americans have taken part in the recent disturbances.
The policy which the Government intends to pursue in the Bluefields affair will be strictly legal, but dignified and firm. It will make peace if the offenders submit 5 but it can not overlook the spilling of blood on the bluff and at Corn Island.
The above remarks do not refer to your excellency, in whom I am pleased to recognize a frank and well-intentioned conduct. God grant that your excellency may be able to change Vice-Consul Seat’s mind, and to convince the Americans that the Government of Nicaragua is not nor can be hostile to their interests.
As to the affair of Mrs. Anderson, the governor intendente of San Juan del Norte has been ordered not to collect the duties which, undoubtedly through error, had been imposed.
The case of the piloto (mate) of the San Jose is being tried according to law, and in this connection I must inform your excellency that the Government was pained to see the refusal of the captain of the steamer to deliver the offender, knowing that the ship and all persons aboard were subject to the jurisdiction of the port authority. A warning of this kind to the captains may, in the future, avoid illegal pretensions on their part.
I send a copy of this communication to our representative in Washington.
With all respect, I subscribe myself, your obedient servant,