President Roosevelt to President Estrada Cabrera.
I received yesterday, with much gratification, from the President Salvador the following message, by which he accepts my offer, and what is still more important, agrees to a suspension of hostilities and to concentration and disbandment of troops pending the negotiations for peace.
Salvador, July fourteenth.
To President Theodore
Roosevelt,
Washington, D. C.
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s message inviting Salvador to settle her difficulties with Guatemala. Taking into consideration the grave disturbances of the peace of Central America and the interests of humanity, I accept with pleasure Your Excellency’s proposition of direct negotiations as the most expeditious means of accomplishing the desired end.
Salvador has ever been ready to conclude an honorable and durable peace with Guatemala and accepts the offer of the Marblehead for the conclusion of the treaty by our commissioners and those of Guatemala.
Better success would attend the negotiations if the minister of the United States to Guatemala and Salvador and the Mexican minister to Central America would take part in the conference in neutral waters; and if the President of Mexico lends it his cooperation I further accept the suspension of hostilities and, as a measure of greater effectiveness, the concentration and disbandonment of troops during the course of negotiations.
Reiterating my thanks for your friendly intervention, I am,
Your Excellency’s obedient servant,
Pedro José Escalon.
Subsequently I have received this morning Your Excellency’s telegram dated yesterday evening, whereby you accept my proposal for peace with Salvador and acquiesce in an armistice being agreed to and the terms of peace being negotiated on board the Marblehead. The assurance given to me by the President of Salvador is satisfactory and appears to meet the condition you state. It is especially gratifying to note your appreciation of the interest shown by Mexico in the cause of peace. I am assured that the cooperation of President Diaz will continue in favor of a just settlement, and I welcome the further evidence of his friendly sentiments in the attendance of the Mexican minister to Central America on the same cordial and impartial footing as the American ministers, Combs and Merry.
In order to give practical shape to this happy agreement, I have directed that the respective American ministers and the commander of the Marblehead be instructed to do all that may be necessary to bring about an early meeting of the representatives of Guatemala and Salvador.