Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1871

No. 316.

Mr. Torbert to Mr. Fish

No. 49.]

United States Legation, San Salvador, May 4, 1871. (Received May 31.)

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a translation copy (marked A) of a communication received from President Medina, of Honduras. At the time of its reception the war Between Salvador and Honduras was virtually over, and about the same time I received your dispatch No. 25, giving the views of the Department on the subject of the guaranteed neutrality of the Honduras Railroad by the United States, and supposing that the Department, after seeing the letter of President Medina, would rather reply more direct through the United States minister resident to that state, I have made no reply; so the matter rests as you suggested, neither Salvador nor Honduras knowing the exact interpretation put upon the treaty by the United States.

I am, &c.,

ALFRED T. A. TORBERT.

A.

[Translation.]

President of Honduras to Mr. Tobert.

San Miguel, April 13, 1871.

Sir: By virtue of the guarantee of neutrality which the Government of the American Union proffered to Honduras in an existing treaty, with reference to the points that might serve the purposes of the interoceanic railroad, my government apprised you that the port of Amapala should not be used as a base for military operations, leaving it therefore under your safeguard, and removing the force it had therein stationed.

Greatly was the government of Honduras pained on learning a few days later that a body of troops, in the service of Don Francisco Dueñas, compelled the port authorities to leave, and carried off the war material that was there to protect it; and this with out your taking, as was to be expected, a measure in behalf of that neutrality. The same thing was done with reference to Comayagua, the capital; and, nevertheless, I have also been informed of its occupation by forces of the same Señor Dueñas, in command of Generals Xatruch and Miranda, without respecting the declaration made by my government of leaving that city under the protection of the United States Government.

So much indifference in a matter of such gravity has made me determine the sending of a force to recover the island for the purpose of keeping it under the sovereigntof Honduras, and placing therein the necessary war elements to protect it. In thy same manner I must make known to you that on this date I have declared the sale port to be in state of siege, and ordered general headquarters to be established therd for the operations of the war; and I take this step after having obtained a practicae conviction that the convention that I have referred to has not been fulfilled on your part, as the representative of the cabinet of Washington, upon which case I address myself to the honorable minister of foreign relations for the information of that Government.

I expect that you will hold this communication as an official protest on the part of the government of Honduras, over which I have the honor to preside, and that in your answer you will please tell me in a clear and distinct manner if you are or are not disposed to comply with the aforesaid guarantee of neutrality.

With all consideration, I am, &c.,

J. MEDINA.

The Hon. Minister Resident, Of the United States of America in San Salvador.