817.00/6146: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt)
226. Your 419, December 19, 5 p.m. In view of Section 2 of Article 83 of the Nicaraguan Constitution59 giving each house of Congress the right to pass upon the elections and credentials of its [Page 522] members the Department does not desire to issue a statement such as you suggest. You may state informally however to those concerned that the United States Government having at great trouble and expense to itself aided in the carrying out of a free and fair election at the request of both parties and the elections having taken place in a manner generally accepted as completely acceptable and all controversial questions relating to the election of individual candidates having been settled by the decisions of the National Board of Elections in a thoroughly impartial manner and without respect to party considerations, the Department feels that there is a moral obligation for the Nicaraguan Congress to accept the certificates of the Board and thus to cooperate in making effective the will of the Nicaraguan electorate. For the Congress to do otherwise would tend to nullify in part the results of these free and fair elections and the work of the National Board of Elections.