Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912
File No. 033.1100 K 77/100.]
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Managua, February 23, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose copy, with translation, of notes exchanged with the Foreign Office and with President Díaz regarding the visit to Nicaragua of Mr. Knox and his party. I am also transmitting the program of his entertainment1 and an official decree of the Government extending to him presidential honors.
I have [etc.]
The American Minister to the Nicaraguan Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Managua, February 16, 1912.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I am in receipt of a telegraphic instruction from my Government regarding the proximate visit to Nicaragua of the Honorable the Secretary of State of the United States.
My Government is deeply impressed with the importance of the relation between the United States and the Republics of Central America and the Caribbean Sea happily so friendly and grown closer and more intimate with the approach of the opening of the Panama Canal from which so many mutual benefits to our countries are hoped, and therefore the President has directed the Secretary of State to visit the capitals of, these several Republics stopping also, at the capitals of Venezuela and Panama and possibly others of the Southern Republics.
The final decision of the President was made so shortly before the departure of Mr. Knox for Florida that it was not possible to give this Legation precise information of the Secretary’s plans and therefore the Department has reserved the details of the Secretary’s itinerary and the length of his stay in Nicaragua for a later communication.
However before leaving Washington Mr. Knox requested that the Legation be assured of the great pleasure with which he looks forward to his visit in this country and to the opportunity for personally knowing President Díaz and the members of his Government in that way signalizing the particular importance attached by President Taft to those relations of cordial amity which it is the aim of the United States to cultivate with Nicaragua.
Accept [etc.]
The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Minister.
Managua, February 17, 1912.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s important note of the 16th instant wherein you are pleased to inform me [etc.]
My Government has welcomed your courteous announcement with marks of high satisfaction, and feels that an occurrence of such importance is not only an event of honor for Nicaragua, but that it will redound in great benefit to the welfare of the Central-American Republics and make more intimate, if possible, the friendly relations which so happily exist between Nicaragua and the United States.
[Page 1111]It will give my Government great pleasure to receive Mr. Knox as much for his high personal qualities as for his eminent official position as representative of the American Government and people, for whom the Government and people of Nicaragua cherish sentiments of unstinted admiration and goodwill; and also the members of his family and party as guests of the nation; and to lavish upon them the signal attentions which are due their high rank and position.
While venturing to request that your Excellency inform this Ministry of any news relative to the trip of Mr. Knox to Nicaragua, which my Government would regard as true evidence of friendship on the part of your Government, I take advantage of this occasion to renew [etc.]
The President of Nicaragua to the American Minister.
Managua, February 18, 1912.
Mr. Minister: I am performing a most pleasant duty in offering to the Secretary of State, Mr. Philander G. Knox, and to his distinguished family through the worthy medium of your excellency the presidential house for the residence of the illustrious guests during their approaching visit to Nicaragua.
Believe, Mr. Minister, in the sincerity of this offer, which I make for the better comfort of the notable travelers, and which, saving your better judgment, resolves satisfactorily a detail quite important for the welfare of these honorable guests of the Nation.
I beg you, Mr. Minister, when honoring me with your reply, not to entertain any unjustifiable fear of occasioning inconvenience, since even now the necessary dispositions have been made in the hope that your valued reply will be favorable.
I take [etc.]
The American Minister to the President of Nicaragua.
Managua, February 18, 1912.
My Dear Mr. President: It is very gratifying to me to be able to express my deep appreciation of the very courteous spirit of your note to-day offering the use of the presidential mansion to the Secretary of State and his family during their visit in this capital.
I shall be glad to convey your message to Mr. Knox and I have no doubt of the warm response that will be evoked by this new evidence of the hospitality for which Nicaragua is so well known, and of the delicate kindliness that distinguishes Your Excellency.
I am [etc.]
Decree of the Government of Nicaragua.
The President of the Republic, considering that His Excellency the Secretary of State of the United States of America, Mr. Philander C. Knox, will honor Nicaragua with a visit during the first days of the coming March; that, because he is the welcome representative of the American Government and people and because of his high official position, the highest considerations are due to him by the Government and people of Nicaragua; that it is therefore appropriate to make a signal show of friendship to the American people, to His Excellency the President of the United States, Mr. W. H. Taft, an expression of recognition of the deferential courtesy of the visit of His Excellency the Secretary of State, Mr. Philander C. Knox, and to this renowned official a cordial manifestation of the goodwill and admiration of the Nicaraguan Government and people—
In Council of Ministers decrees:
- Article 1. The day on which His Excellency the Secretary of State enters this capital shall be a holiday.
- Article 2. The Honorable the Secretary of State, his family, and party, are hereby declared to be guests of the nation.
- Article 3. A reception committee shall be formed as an annex to the Foreign Office, under the authority of Dr. Máximo H. Cepeda. This committee will be charged with personally attending to the honorable guests, drawing up a program of entertainment, and with such other details as may be necessary in this connection.
- Article 4. To His Excellency, Mr. Knox, during his stay in Nicaragua, the honors of a President of the Republic are hereby extended.
Minister of Gobernación, Justicia y Gracia, Miguel Cardenas.
Minister of Hacienda y Crédito Publico, Pedro Raf. Cuadra.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Public Instruction (acting), J. A. Urtecho.
Minister of War and Marine, Luis Mena.
Minister of Fomento and Public Works (acting), Arturo Solorzano.
- Not printed.↩