Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1907, (In two parts), Part II
File No. 3691717–23.
Minister Combs to the Secretary of State .
Guatemala , January 16, 1907 .
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of telegraphic correspondence from President Bonilla.
I have, etc.,
President Bonilla to Minister Combs.
Desiring you to have full knowledge of the incident that has occurred between my Government and that of Nicaragua, and for you to see how justice is on my part in said conflict, I transcribe to you the dispatches exchanged between the general in chief of my troops and President Zelaya, which I omitted doing in my former telegram:
[Untitled]
Gen. J. S. Zelaya, Managua:
In order to attack the rebels, I have been appointed by the government commander in chief of all the forces that will operate in the south, and finding myself at this town I have the honor to put myself at your orders. I am informed that General Gutierrez and Gen. Nicolas Flores, both of whom you had reported as reconcentrated, are at Oyoto in the plantation of Messrs. Sandoval, in the frontier of both Republics. As at any moment I will begin operations against them, it may become necessary for me to trespass into the territory of that Republic, and for doing so I would desire to obtain your authorization, without detriment to what is established in the treaty between both countries, in which it is mutually permitted to enter the territory of either country for the prosecution of criminals. I await your answer, for in no way do I wish or desire that the existing good relations between that Government and mine may be altered.
Your servant and friend,
[Untitled]
Gen. Salomon Ordoñez, San Antonio de Flores:
I thank you for your attention of putting yourself at my orders in that town, as commander in chief of all the forces operating in the south, an appointment which I consider very well merited, and I congratulate you for the honor and trust deposited on you, and I also hope that your operations will be crowned with the most complete success. It is impossible for me to concede to you the authorization that you solicit in order to operate with your forces in the territory of Nicaragua, because your prosecution against the revolutionists is not the case established in the treaty that is in force with that Republic and because Nicaragua has on her frontiers the sufficient number of troops to disarm and [Page 610] reconcentrate those who may trespass them. The case to which the treaty refers is that in which fugitive criminals under charge of crime should escape into either of the two countries, a revolutionist can not be considered as such. My Government has done for that of Hunduras in a friendly manner all that it could in the present emergency, as I have had the pleasure of informing President Bonilla, and with the certainty that your desire is as sincere as mine that the good relations that exist between our respective countries may not be altered and that they be always cordial; I hope that by issuing adequate and proper orders you will avoid the trespassing into Nicaraguan territory. Gen. Nicolas Flores was, indeed, reconcentrated, and he was under parole, but unfortunately did not keep it.
Your affectionate friend,
[Untitled]
Gen. J. S. Zelaya, Campo de Marte:
I am going to take the liberty of explaining to President Zelaya the motives that prompted me to solicit the permission, should I think it necessary, as I do, to trespass into the territory of that sister Republic to attack the rebels. At present they occupy Oyoto hill, but the principal group precisely occupy Zapotillo hill, which is divided by the dividing line of that and this Republic, so that on attacking them they will immediately fall back on Nicaraguan territory, and the attack would be then useless; besides they are occupying the house of Catarino Sandoval, Narciso Sandoval, Ruben Sandoval, and of Messrs. Calderon, located in that Republic in the potreros of these persons, which are well fenced; they are intrenching themselves. They also have their reserve forces at Yari on the field of Duyure and at Macuelizas, places situated on the very frontier. What I now report to you was the cause that made me solicit of you the said permission; but considering that Nicaragua has sufficient troops on the frontier with which she is able to disarm and reconcentrate any Honduranian rebels who might trespass it, and considering the existing good relations, good harmony, and the sincere friendship of the Government and people of Nicaragua and Honduras, I beg of you to disarm and reconcentrate the Honduranian rebels, who are occupying positions in the territory of that country. I am awaiting your reply, and as ever I subscribe myself,
Your servant and friend,
[Untitled]
Gen. Salomon Ordoñez:
I have received your telegram, sent at 9.30 a.m. to-day, in which you explain the motives that prompted you to solicit my permission to cross the dividing line of our frontier, in the case that it should become necessary. After reading your report, I must manifest to you that notwithstanding the definite orders that have been issued to the purpose of capturing, disarming, and reconcentrating the revolutionary “emigrados” who present themselves, I now again direct myself to the authorities, reiterating my orders that, under the strictest responsibility, they must comply with my anterior commands; and you may rest assured that on my part I am always ready to continue the policy of sincere friendship with which I have always proceeded toward your Government.
Your attentive servant and friend,
I remain, etc.,
President Bonilla to Minister Combs.
In my desire to put you in full knowledge of the incident between my Government and that of Nicaragua and to show you the complete justice that I [Page 611] have in the said conflict, I transcribe to you the dispatches exchanged in regard to said question. For your knowledge, and in accordance with my idea of keeping you informed of all the events that may take place in this country, I transcribe to you the telegrams exchanged to-day with the President of Nicaragua.
Palace, Tegucigalpa, January 9, 1907.
Mr. President, Gen. J. S. Zelaya, Managua:
The commander in chief of all the forces that are operating in the south against the disturbers of peace informs me that the latter had an encounter with the forces of General Carcamo, who was exploring the positions held by the outlaws, driving them out of their positions of Carrizal and los Calpules after four hours, after which the rebels fled completely routed, and also informs me after the battle that General Carcamo had encamped in territory, which he did not know, but which I am assured, belongs to Nicaragua; for which reason I gave him the immediate order to move from there and to march his troops more to the interior of this Republic, for under no circumstances, with full knowledge, would I permit officials from my Government to make such a mistake. One of the men captured in this encounter declares that he belongs to a force of 110 men that General Calderon sent to put themselves under the command of General Gutierrez; this force was the one with which we had the encounter; the leader of these men was killed. Notwithstanding the declaration of the captured soldier I do not wish to believe in such news, as it can not be true, so I hasten to communicate this notice to you as a proof that I thoroughly believe in the declarations that you have made to me and for you to take such action as you may deem necessary in the case that malcontents from your Government or emigrados from this country make use of your name to the advantage of their personal ambitions and with the evil idea of provoking a conflict between our Governments. The rebels who were completely defeated in Honduranian territory have fallen back on the opposite slope of the hill El Carrizal in that Republic, where, I am informed, their leaders are trying to organize again in order to renew their criminal efforts against the peace of Honduras. Promising to communicate to you whatever may take place,
I repeat myself your affectionate and sincere friend,
[Untitled]
Mr. President Bonilla, Tegucigalpa:
With great surprise I have been informed that yesterday at 2 p.m. forces from the Honduranian army trespassed the frontier of Nicaragua and in its territory attacked the forces of observation that I have stationed there to guarantee the inviolability of Nicaraguan soil. The commandante de armas of Somoto reports to me the following: At 2 p.m. they tried to break through our lines, but they were energetically made to retreat by Mayor Sanchez and likewise they will be put back on all the line that is guarded by our forces. Troops of Juticalpa under the command of General Rosales threaten by the side of Las Manos by Santa Maria, and by El Banquito near to San Marcos forces of General Bonilla are reported to be. I am informed that with the forces of the Government of Honduras several emigrados from Nicaragua are coming, and those are naturally the ones most interested in the present conflict. To-day I received a telegram from the commandante of Santa Maria, sent at 11.30 in the morning, in which he informs me of the following: In this moment forces from Honduras under the command of Gen. Teofilo Carcamo are attacking our forces of observation; my trenches divide the line of fire. I also receive now a cablegram from the minister of Nicaragua at Washington in which he informs me that the Government of Honduras has directed itself officially to the American chancery informing it that Honduras has sent troops to the frontier of Nicaragua to crush the rebellion started by General Zelaya. In view of these facts I consider it my duty as a loyal and sincere man to demand of you a categoric explanation before the innocent blood of these fraternal nations is shed. I wish before resolving on extreme measures to have the certainty that a mistake does not exist that might explain these unexpected provocations, and that, corresponding to the loyalty and sincerity with which I have always acted, you will inform me if I shall consider hostilities broken so [Page 612] that I may proceed as may be convenient for me. While I formally protest to you that if hostilities continue and the forces of Honduras should pierce my forces of observation, there shall be nothing to detain me to march with my army to comply with my duty,
I am, with all esteem, your affectionate friend,
[Untitled]
Gen. J. S. Zelaya, Managua:
Your telegram sent at 12 o’clock crossed mine on the way, in which I informed you of the encounter that took place on the frontier, in conformity with the official report that the general in chief communicated to me, and only due to the fact that you had not received my telegram can I account for yours, based on doings contrary to those that have come to my knowledge. The narration of occurrences in my last telegram, sent in the best good faith, informing you that this country was provoked by them in territory of this Republic, and the possibility of encountering forces from the Government of Nicaragua was not even conceived, forces that we have considered and will continue to consider as friends. The other information contained in your telegram may have found its issue in partial sources, and it is absolutely false. Generals Rosales and Urrutia are not in the places indicated by the comandante of Somoto, and I beg of you to take note of the date, so that you may afterwards convince yourself of the truth of what I say; and no force from Honduras has gone near the neighborhood of Las Manos. In regard to what may have happened at El Banquito, you know that this place is situated in the middle of the road from San Marcos to Choluteca, where we can be stationed with all propriety without calling for the suspicion of your agents. Besides, the army of Honduras is in need of examining the entire frontier to be able to have success in their operations, because you well know that the outlaws of this country are situated exactly on the dividing line of both countries; not a single emigrado or Nicaraguan forms part of the Honduranean army. Moreover, you well know that those who are considered as enemies of your Government are reconcentrated in this capital. It is also completely false that my Government has communicated with that at Washington in any manner, for the only communication that I have sent out in regard to the present occurrences has been a telegraphic circular to the presidents of Central America, which you have also received. So there does not exist a single fact among those you have drawn my attention to, and since I have been at the head of public affairs in Honduras no act of inconsequence or of disloyalty can be laid against me. On the contrary, I have always been found ready to cooperate for the peace of Central America and to avoid the shedding of fraternal blood which to me is of the greatest value. The malcontents of my Government have worked efficaciously to bring about a rupture of fatal consequences to Central America. Placing themselves in the proper line of the frontier where they precisely had to be attacked by the forces of my Government was part of a malefic plan, the consequences of which we begin to feel; but I must confess to you with frankness and sincerity that in the present circumstances I have not been led by any other motive than the accomplishment of my duty, without even imagining for a moment that it could have brought about the least friction with your Government, to which I have given a proof of the loyalty with which I proceed in all my acts. Believing to have satisfied you with this honest manifestation, I consider it necessary for us to decide on what instructions must be given to our troops with the purpose of preventing the least friction between them in the course of the military operations that I must energetically continue against the outlaws, unworthy cause of the present perturbation, but if unfortunately I can not convince you of my sincere loyalty I must manifest to you that my Government, accompanied by the entire Honduranean nation, would be able, when the proper time arrived, to make their rights prevail and to maintain without stain their dignity.
With all esteem, I subscribe myself, your obedient servant and friend,