File No. 3691/196A.
The Secretary of State to Minister Merry.a
Washington, March 15, 1907.
Informs Mr. Merry that in view of the repeated statement in certain quarters that the President has admitted the justice of Nicaragua’s charges against Honduras, it is proper to say that nothing in the President’s telegrams of February 11 and 14 warrants an interpretation so contrary to the declared absolute impartiality of the President. His telegram of the 14th to the President of Nicaragua said: “I shall be glad to render any assistance in my power toward working out a practical solution of the interesting problem in accordance with the ideas in which we so perfectly agree.” This related to the declaration of the President of Nicaragua in his telegram of February 13, in which he said: “I recognize and appreciate the desirability of the American States preserving peace.” Mr. Root further informs Mr. Merry that the President has expressed no opinion as to the merits of the unfortunate controversy, and could not do so consistently with his attitude as the unbiased friend of both and his solicitude to do everything possible to restore peace.
- Same to the American legation at Honduras.↩