File No. 7357/291–292.
The Acting Secretary of State to Minister Dodge.
Washington , August 19, 1908 .
Sir: Confirming by the copy thereof herewith inclosed the department’s telegram of the 14th instant, I transmit for your further information copies of the papers in the case of the cancellation of the exequaturs of the consul and vice consul of the United States at Ceiba that have not already been sent to you. These papers will fully inform you on the subject.
Your attention is especially called to the department’s note of the 31st ultimo to the Honduranean minister at Washington and to the minister’s notes in reply, dated August 1 and 5. The minister’s notes have not been answered or acknowledged.
The department can hardly bring itself to believe that Mr. Ugarte correctly represents the attitude of Honduras, especially in view of the statement of the minister for foreign affairs of Honduras, reported in your telegram of August 9, 1908, that the “Government of Honduras is desirous of finding some means of satisfying desires of Secretary of State.” The department’s note to Mr. Ugarte and its telegram to you of August 14 set forth this Government’s expectations. We expect to be dealt with on fair and equal ground in order [Page 465] that we may reach a satisfactory and honorable conclusion by the diplomatic way, which is the proper resort of friendly nations in composing their differences.
The careful investigation of the commanding officer of the Marietta, and the agreement of all the evidence elicited by him as to the facts which led up to the conference of the consular corps with the comandante, as well as to the facts of the conference itself, are so far at variance with the report of the comandante to the authorities at Tegucigalpa upon which the cancellation of the exequaturs was effected ex parte and without affording a hearing to the parties or to their Government, as to present a case which it behooves the two Governments to deal with in a spirit of impartial inquiry and with equal desire to see that right is done to all concerned. It is important that a door to a candid and just determination of the right, which has been so abruptly closed by the sole act of Honduras, should be reopened as befits the relations of two friendly and magnanimous nations.
Much must necessarily be left to your good judgment and discretion and much will depend upon your tactful handling of the matter.
I am, etc.,