Mr. Coxe to Mr.
Olney.
Legation of the United States,
Guatemala and
Honduras,
Guatemala, October 24,
1896. (Received Nov. 12.)
No. 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a
note from Mr. Bonilla, minister of foreign affairs, to Mr. Pringle, just
received, dated October 1, 1896, transmitting certified copy of the
decree of like date suppressing the ministry of foreign affairs of the
Government of Honduras, together with a copy of such certified copy;
also translations of both note and decree. This is confirmatory of the
information I had, as communicated to the Department in my No. 9, of
October 15, 1896.
I have a letter from Mr. Little, consul at Tegucigalpa, by the same mail,
in which he tells me that he has already sent this decree to the
Department. I, nevertheless, take the liberty of transmitting it in the
ordinary course as well.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
13.—Translation.]
Mr. Bonilla to
Mr. Pringle.
Tegucigalpa, October 1, 1896.
Mr. Chargé d’Affaires: Complying with the
instructions of the President of the Republic, I have the honor to
send to your excellency for the information of your Government
pamphlet copy, duly authenticated, of a decree this day promulgated,
by which the ministry of foreign affairs of the Government of
Honduras is declared suppressed, in virtue of which the exercise of
the temporary sovereignty of the Republics of Honduras, El Salvador,
and Nicaragua, signatories of the treaty of Amapala, of June 20,
1895 (of which the Diet should have already advised your
excellency), devolves upon the Diet of the Greater Republic of
Central America.
It gives me pleasure to embrace this opportunity to tender to your
excellency the expression of my grateful appreciation for your
exquisite courtesy in all official communications which have passed
with this ministry of state during the time that I have had the
honor of discharging its duties.
I subscribe myself, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
13.—Translation.]
decree.
Department of State in the Office of Foreign
Relations,
Tegucigalpa, October 1,
1896.
Whereas this Government has received official advices that the Diet
of the Greater Republic of Central America has been installed in the
city of San Salvador in pursuance of the terms of the treaty of
Amapala, of June 20, 1895, negotiated between Honduras, El Salvador,
and Nicaragua; and
Whereas the exercise of the temporary sovereignty of the Republics
agreeing to the said treaty devolves upon the Diet, the principal
object of which is to maintain the closest harmony with all the
nations with whom the said Republics maintain the relations of
friendship, and to resolve all questions pending and which may arise
in the future between the said Republics and any other nation
whatsoever; and
Whereas in virtue of the premises there is no need for the existence
of the department of state in the offices of foreign affairs of the
three Republics which now form the new political entity, but for the
maintenance of relations among themselves it
[Page 395]
is necessary to determine the department of
state which should assume the necessary functions.
Now, therefore, the President, by virtue of his power, orders—
- 1.
- The ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of
Honduras is declared suppressed.
- 2.
- The relations between the States agreeing to the treaty of
Amapala shall be maintained through the medium of a
secretaryship of state in the office of “Gobernacion,” in
which shall be created an especial section under the name of
“Interior Affairs.”
- 3.
- The subordinate employees of the ministry of foreign
affairs will pass over to the ministry of “Gobernacion” to
lend their services in this especial section, and their pay
shall be taken from the respective portion of the budget for
the said portfolio voted by the national Congress;
and
- 4.
- Also the archives and documents of the ministry of foreign
relations shall remain in the care of the ministry of
“Gobernacion,” and an inventory of all of them shall be
made, and a statement of all pending cases shall be given to
the Diet.
Let it be published and recorded.
César Bonilla,
Secretary of State in the Office of Foreign
Relations.
