After a brief but satisfactory visit the President of Guatemala left this
city on his homeward route on the 26th ultimo, having, through his
minister of state, (Fomento,) who accompanied him, arranged and signed a
treaty of peace, commerce, and alliance on the 24th ultimo, and, as
expressed in the aforementioned memorial, “for the final validity of
which the government hopes that the supreme legislative power will give
its ratification,”
I append hereto a sketch of its main features, taken from the Boletin
Official of the 31st January, which may be thus abridged:
On the 1st instant Marshal Santiago Gonzales was duly inaugurated as
President of this republic, under the constitution, for the term of two
years from that date. I annex a copy and translation of the legislative
decree declaratory of the election by popular suffrage, and also the
inaugural address of the President, with the reply of the presiding
officer of the congress.
The whole tenor of late events culminates to demonstrate the sincere
desire of Salvador for peace and progress, and that, so far from seeking
war, her labor is to establish intimate alliances with all her
neighbors.
[Inclosure 1.—Translation.]
Memorial presented by the Minister of Foreign Relations to the
legislative body of 1872.
Gentlemen Representatives: The republic of
Salvador, a small section of Latin-America, but prominent in its
fixed principles, has at last presented to the world one of those
social phenomena which history will note as an era in human
progress—a refraction from revolution, but ever advancing, and
boldly reaching into futurity to grasp the grand ideal to which it
aspires.
The present government, born of this revolution and its exponent,
particularly designs to characterize its relations with other
governments with the strictest justice, ever faithfully observing
the rules established by the law of nature for nations constituting
the great human family. Ever convinced that it is not force alone
which gives vitality to integral states, but the administration of
justice, which is the perfection of reason in all civilized
associations, it has resolved to heed most religiously all existing
treaties and conventions, at the same time that it will have the
honor to promote new facts, (as I shall have the honor subsequently
to inform you,) which will strengthen existing relations, foster
commerce, and protect Salvadoreans abroad.
The community of aspirations, origin, vicinity, institutions, apart
from the tendency of mankind to union, induces populations to
strengthen their bonds, and exactly this happens with the republics
of Central America, called by such weighty reasons to labor in
perfect accord for mutual happiness and prosperity.
Therefore the provisional government had hardly attended to the
exigencies which the abnormal condition of affairs, supervening a
revolution just finished, demanded, when it thought well to give
full powers to Señor Don Rafael Campo, accrediting him to the
government of Nicaragua, that he there might present the ideas of
this government as to the conservation of the most perfect harmony
with the neighboring States. The reception given to our minister was
satisfactory, and when he had received assurances that the necessary
aims of both States were for concord, Señor Campo then received
instructions to return to the republic. The provisional government,
firm in its proposition for fraternal communication, &c.,
conferred on the licentiate Don Mariano Castro the appointment of
minister plenipotentiary near the government of Costa Rica. That
officer fulfilled well the mission, and, consonantly to his
instructions, celebrated under date of the 22d of May, 1871, a
treaty of friendship and alliance, which I have the honor to present
for your superior consideration.
At these dates it was hardly possible to negotiate with Guatemala,
distracted by civil wars, and its future unsettled; yet we hoped the
restoration of order, with the triumph of the patriots, who had
raised their standard in the name of right and justice to bear from
the soil existing abuses militating with its progressive tendencies.
Notwithstanding this, but wishing that internal affairs might not
relax the ties uniting both republics, the provisional government of
Salvador inaugurated relations, informing that government of the
change in ours. This step revealed our prudent and conciliatory
course of policy. But peace once established, both peoples
fraternally embraced, and now labor in accord for the consolidation
of their proclaimed principles.
Also I have the honor to inform you that, soon after the revolution
of Salvador, the government of Honduras thought it convenient to
accredit an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, who,
among other important subjects, was to confer with this government
upon the great national question, proposing primarily that between
Salvador and Honduras they should form a single people, and that
they should invite the other countries of Central America to second
the project to form a single nation.
The provisional executive referred consideration of the proposal to
the national constituent assembly, who, upon deliberation, empowered
the executive to open conferences with the Honduranean ministry, by
virtue of which the undersigned, together with his appreciated
colleague, the minister of the interior, signed a protocol with
Honduras, in which both contracting parties agreed to send their
representatives to a conference to consider this subject, to be held
in the city of La Union, and at the same time both governments bound
themselves to invite the other republics to send also their agents
to that congress, to adopt, by common agreement, the plan most
acceptable. Consequently, the Salvadorean government aptly nominated
General Don Juan José Samayoa, with suitable powers, that he might
treat upon this important subject. On account of unforeseen
difficulties, doubtless, the ministers from Honduras and Nicaragua
have not been able to assemble. Those of Guatemala and Costa Rica,
with that of this republic, have actually assembled, and these have
urged the other States to send their respective
plenipotentiaries.
In the interim, however, the representative of Honduras has adjusted
with our Government treaties of amity and commerce, which I submit
to your superior deliberation. With these facts both governments
propose to strengthen the many commercial relations which exist
between the two peoples, and to further their respective political
interests, supporting the peace which should naturally and
necessarily exist between them
[Page 517]
As a proof of the cordial spirit which animates the government of
Costa Rica, that cabinet conferred upon the distinguished Dr. Don
Bruno Carranza the character of plenipotentiary near the government
of Salvador. Señor Carranza, as also Señor Alvarado, a short time
previously, was received with the distinction accorded to the
representative of a friendly and sister nation. Another treaty was
signed by the undersigned with Señor Carranza, and it is one of
those which I bring to your knowledge to-day for the proper
authorization.
To conclude with the Central American policy of Salvador, it remains
to inform you that, it being thought convenient to send a
commissioner to Nicaragua, this charge was given to General Don
Santiago Delgado. This mission is purely pacific, and has for
principal object the good harmony between both republics, and the
promotion of such arrangements as may redound to mutual
advantage.
Finally, the government of Guatemala conferred full powers upon its
minister of state, Señor Don J. M. Samayoa, to arrange a treaty of
peace, commerce, and alliance, and in effect he signed a treaty on
the 24th instant, for the final validity of which the government
hopes that the supreme legislative power will give its
ratification.
The great republic of the north, which has cultivated with Salvador
friendly relations most sincere and frank, has finally happily sent
to this republic the Hon. Mr. Thomas Biddle with the character of
minister resident near this government, it being one of the
important objects of his mission to arrange definitively the
treaties celebrated with his worthy predecessor, General A. T. A.
Torbert, with whose labors I have also the honor to account to the
august assembly. The treaties which I have commended were submitted
for the information of the usual legislature of the past year, but
owing to the occurrences arising from the bad understanding between
the ruling administration of this republic and the government of
Hondufas these documents remained without the necessary sanction to
elevate them to the category of a law of the republic. Also, in
these treaties is limited, as you will see, the term within which
ratifications may be exchanged; by virtue, however, of the
initiative of this government that of the republic of the United
States has enlarged this term, thus abrogating the effect of the
article in which this stipulation was included.
I am able to express what may be proper concerning the conventions
celebrated with other powers by the previous administration, and
which I to-day bring to your knowledge. With regard to our
diplomatic corps, I can assure you that Salvador is worthily
represented abroad, and the accompanying table shows the changes
made in the representation, &c., also consular catalogue,
&c.
Such are, gentlemen representatives, the works of the provisional
executive, so far as foreign affairs are concerned. In the interior
liberty is established, also the administration of justice, and the
respect for law. With the sister republics ties have been
strengthened, preserving a prudent and just policy; with other
nations, it has endeavored to show that the government of Salvador
“desires to preserve their esteem and respect, as well as the
friendship and cordial relations which prevail; that it does not
disregard the principles of international law, whose scrupulous
observance removes as much as possible from every emergency which
may come to interrupt the regular and prosperous advance of the
country whose destinies and dearest interests it is its charge to
guard, and which will be itself the faithful observer of existing
treaties.
Thus will Salvador be honorably known in foreign lands, and it will
demonstrate that a small political section of the globe can rise to
a respectable category among civilized nations by the practice of
right and justice.
GREGORIO ARBTZA.
San
Salvador, January 27,
1872.
