You will observe that the President expresses great surprise at our
Government’s refusal to submit the case to arbitration.
On April 25 last I made demand for reparation on the Government of
Honduras, in accordance with Department’s instructions No. 131, of March
16, 1899, to which no reply has yet been received. I shall push the
demand and keep the Department advised of the progress of the case.
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Ugarte to
Mr. Hunter.
Legation of Honduras in
Guatemala,
May 11,
1899.
Mr. Minister: In fulfillment of your
excellency’s desires, I have the honor of transcribing the telegram
which the President of Honduras addressed to me and which I
communicated to your excellency in our last interview. It reads as
follows:
“To Dr. Angel Ugarte, Guatemala:
“It would, in truth, be inexplicable and strange that the American
Government should refuse to submit to arbitration the claim made on
account of the Pears affair, it being that Great Britain, a European
country, which has heretofore followed a policy so exacting with the
Latin-American Republics, has just set the example by submitting to
that mode of decision in the Lottie May
incident, and notwithstanding that the note from the Marquis of
Salisbury seemed to put an end to all discussion.
“Your report has greatly surprised me, as I was hoping for other
procedure on the part of the American Government, with which that of
Honduras has cultivated the best relations of friendship; besides,
the news which I had from New York had made me quite tranquil
because the sub-Secretary of State, Dr. D. J. Hill, has assured Mr.
Bolet Peraza, the consul of Honduras, as also the vice-president of
the syndicate, that the Government of the United States would treat
the matter with all the consideration to which the Government and
the people of Honduras are entitled, to the end that the proof in
the case be well established and that he hoped all would result
satisfactorily and justly.
“Before that conference, Mr. Sprague, vice-president of the
syndicate, presented a memorial with the object that opportunity
might be given the Government of Honduras to be heard in regard to
the death of Mr. Pears with the certainty that there would be found
extenuating circumstances which would at least relieve the
Government and inhabitants of the country from the charge of a
conscious violation of the laws of hospitality and of the protection
due American citizens resident in Honduras.
“Mr. Sprague mentioned that the Government of Honduras is friendly to
the United States and animated by sentiments of sympathy toward the
Americans resident here; that the actual President uses his
influence to a very marked degree for the protection of American
interests in Honduras, and furthers their development to the utmost
limit; that it would be quite ungenerous to compel the Honduranians
to make peremptory payment of an indemnification for the death of
Pears without giving the Government of Honduras a hearing, and
without having clear information as to the circumstances of the
deed, and that the other American interests which have taken root in
Honduras would be notably injured by any precipitate and undue
action on the part of that Government.
[Page 678]
“With such antecedents it was natural to think that arbitration was
the most acceptable mode of resolving the difficulty in a friendly
manner, and I do not lose hope that we may yet arrive at that
result.
“Nevertheless, inasmuch as Minister Hunter has sent his
communications, we shall endeavor to obtain the best documents in
which to found the reply which this Government must give.
“I remain, etc.,
Terencio Sierra.”
I take the liberty also of calling your excellency’s attention to the
reason which I had the honor of making known to your excellency in
supportof the ideas contained in the above telegram, and which I
have no doubt the American Government will take into consideration
in the prosecution of this unfortunate occurrence.
I take this opportunity of renewing, etc.,
