File No. 816.032/19

Minister Long to the Secretary of State

No. 153

Sir: Referring to this Legation’s despatch No. 1491 of March 3, 1917 regarding the address delivered by the President of the Republic of Salvador before the National Assembly on the opening of that body February 20, 1917, I have the honor to enclose herewith two copies of the Diario Oficial del Salvador of February 20, which gives the above address in full, together with a translation of that portion which refers to Salvador’s relations with the United States.

I have [etc.]

Boaz W. Long
[Inclosure—Translation—Extract]

[Untitled]

This is what happened with the sister Republic of Nicaragua. Salvador, in view of the negotiations made by the Nicaraguan Government with the United States in concluding the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty, with which we are all acquainted, raised a voice of protest because it considered that its rights had been injured and its security and sovereignty threatened, and for this purpose a note of protest was sent to the Nicaraguan Government through two Cabinet mails.

Similarly, my Government being ever jealous of the high mission with which it is entrusted, namely, that of looking after the interests of the Nation and being desirous of defending its injured rights, filed a formal suit against the Nicaraguan Government before the Court of Central American Justice through Mr. Gregorio Martin, our diplomatic representative in Costa Rica, this suit being amplified later on according to instructions given to said official.

Recently, under date of November 20, Mr. Alonso Reyes Guerra was appointed attorney for Salvador before said Court in order to appear in this matter, which is of such transcendent importance because it involves the vindication of the rights which we claim.

As eloquently testified to by the history of our country, Salvador has at all times contributed toward defending the integrity of Central America whenever an attempt was made to occupy the coastal waters thereof for the purpose of establishing naval bases of powerful nations and this very Gulf of Fonseca is a witness of the consistency with which the most patriotic Salvadoran Governments of the past century endeavored to save its waters from British occupation.

It would therefore have betrayed the national spirit and traditions this time if it had looked with indifference upon the alienation of this maritime domain, which is the common patrimony of the three Central American nations that have peacefully possessed it from time immemorial.

The bonds of friendship which unite us with the Republic of North America have remained inalterable, whereby one of the points of my Government’s program has been fulfilled, that is, the constant maintenance of a spirit of the most frank international cordiality.

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To this end I take satisfaction in noting that Mr. Rafael Zaldívar, our Minister at Washington, is faithfully performing the delicate duties of his important mission with tact and ability, having contributed toward the successful bringing together of the two countries, which effort is being seconded here with so much skill by his excellency Mr. Boaz Long in his exalted capacity as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the great and prosperous North American Nation.

  1. Not printed.