Mr. Baker to Mr.
Gresham.
Legation of
the United States,
Managua, March 20, 1894.
(Received, April 14.)
Sir: Complaint having been made to me by the
Government of Nicaragua that Consul Braida has been actively in sympathy
with the British armed occupancy of Blue fields, 1 deemed it my duty to send
him the inclosed note of caution. I am persuaded that Mr. Braida has not
departed from the just and conservative course which his official position
demands of him, notwithstanding the provocation to retaliate for the insults
offered him may have been great.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Baker to Mr.
Braida.
Legation of the United States,
Managua, March 19,
1894.
Dear Sir: I have returned to you by the
outgoing mails your recent telegrams. They were delayed in their
transmission four days, and when received were so mutilated as to be
unintelligible. I undertook to send several telegraph messages to you,
all of which required answers.
[Page 256]
I received no answers, and conclude that either the messages were not
delivered, or if delivered were so mutilated as to be beyond
recognition.
Complaint has been made to the President of this Republic, by Governor
Rivas I presume, that the American consul is throwing his personal and
official influence against Nicaragua in the Mosquito affair. I feel sure
that you have a just appreciation of the dignity of your official
position and of your duty as a representative of the United States,
which require you to occupy a friendly position toward this Government,
and that you have not departed from this path of duty. But since the
statement has been made to me, in a second-hand way, from the public
officials here, that you have allowed the insults offered you by the
Nicaraguan official at Grey Town, Rivas, to influence you in your action
in the Mosquito affairs, I deem it my duty to caution you against doing
anything by word or deed which could properly be construed into
unfriendliness to the Government of Nicaragua or to its claim of
sovereign rights over that territory.
I will ask you to repeat to me by telegraph, on receipt of this, an
unvarnished statement of the facts in the case.
I am, etc.,
