File No. 5316/109–111.
The Acting Secretary of
State to the Guatemalan
Minister.
Department of State,
Washington, October 30,
1908.
Sir: I have the pleasure to acknowledge your
note of to-day acquainting me with the arrival in this capital of Señor
Dr. Don Juan Barrios, M., minister of foreign relations of Guatemala,
who has been appointed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
on special mission to the United States. You request an audience with
the President in order to present Señor Barrios, and you inclose office
copy of his credentials and of his proposed remarks.
In response I am pleased to inform you that the President will receive
Minister Barrios and yourself at the White House on Monday afternoon
next, November 2, at 2.30 o’clock. If you and he will call at the
department a few minutes before that hour I shall be pleased to
accompany you.
Accept, etc.,
[Page 409]
[Translation.]
Remarks of Señor Don Juan
Barrios M., Minister of Guatemala on special
mission, on the occasion of his presentation to the President, November 2, 1908.
Excellency: It affords me peculiar pleasure
to be honored by placing in your hands the autographic letter by
which the President of the Guatemalan Republic has been pleased to
accredit me envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in
special mission before the illustrious government over which your
excellency so worthily presides.
My Government has constantly received from the wonderful country of
Washington remarkable evidences of fraternal and kindly regard, and
I do not need to recall either the conference of the Marblehead, the last celebration in this
capital, the sympathy expressed upon the death of my predecessor,
Señor Muñoz, or the very many other instances, which are all
impressed on the heart of my country.
Guatemala and its highest magistrate can never forget, and ought
never to forget, Mr. President, the eloquent demonstration of
sincere and loyal friendship which we received on the occasion of
the special mission intrusted to His Excellency Maj. Gen. Davis,
who, by his presence and high position, gave importance and
brilliancy to the greatest undertaking which has been accomplished
in Central America by an American company and with American
capital—the transcontinental railway of Guatemala.
As the humble fellow worker with my chief, President Estrada Cabrera,
I have had daily occasion to feel, Mr. President, the benefits of
the existing peace in Central America in the accomplishment of which
the efforts of your altruistic Government have played so important a
part.
In order to reciprocate these friendly sentiments and to make known
to you the lively gratitude of the President and Government (of
Guatemala) for this long series of exhibitions of sincere and
unqualified regard, the mission of cordiality and sympathy intrusted
to me has been undertaken; and, in fulfilling that mission and in
having the pleasure of greeting you and congratulating you upon the
wisdom with which you are directing the destinies of this great
Republic, permit me to express the ardent desire which animates my
Government that the ancient ties and loyal friendship which happily
bind and have always bound the United States of America and the
Republic of Guatemala may be augmented and strengthened more or
more, and day by day.
Be pleased to graciously accept, Mr. President, the cordial wishes
which, in the name of the people and the Guatemalan Government, I
offer you for the happiness of the people and Government of the
United States of America, and for your personal welfare.
Reply of the President.
Mr. Minister: It is a pleasure to receive
from your hands the letter of your President accrediting you as
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary on special mission
before this Government.
It has been gratifying to the Government of the United States to
avail of the opportunities you cite to give expression to its
well-known impartial and sincere friendship for the Government of
Guatemala and its sister Republics, and to show its earnest desire
that the Republics of Central America may continue to enjoy the
inestimable blessings of peace. I therefore cordially welcome you,
Mr. Minister, in your congenial mission to demonstrate the
appreciation of your President and Government for the fraternal
interest shown to your country.
The Government of the United States earnestly shares in the desire
you express for increasingly closer bonds of friendship between the
two countries and for the continuance of the present mutual regard
and confidence, and in conveying this assurance to your President I
ask you also to extend to him my sincere wishes for the advancement
and prosperity of Guatemala and for his personal welfare. I hope,
Mr. Minister, that you will have an agreeable visit in this
capital.
