No. 403.
Mr. Biddle to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
San
Salvador, May 11, 1872.
(Received June 19.)
No. 49.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you of the
arrival in this capital of Señor Don Evaristo Carazo, as envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary from Nicaragua to Salvador,
Guatemala, and Honduras, to offer the mediation of that republic for the
restoration of peace.
Señor Carazo seemed impressed with the necessity of the course forced
upon Salvador, but hoped that affairs might drift toward peace after a
short war. I told him that this was my own earnest hope, and that 1
should be glad to co-operate in any honorable effort to reconcile the
belligerents which might not compromise the neutrality or subsequent
policy of my country, and at his request I wrote a letter to United
States minister at Guatemala, as per copy inclosed herewith, inviting
his attention to the fact that peace proposals were being presented by
Nicaragua to that republic.
I am, &c.,
[Page 535]
Mr. Biddle to
Mr. Hudson.
[Inclosure.]
Legation of the United States,
San Salvador, May 3, 1872.
Dear Sir and Colleague: At the instance and
request of Señor Don Evaristo Carazo, of Rivas, Nicaragua, who, as
envoy of his government, has proceeded to Salvador, and is going to
Honduras to offer the services of his government as mediator in the
present complicated and threatening situation of these countries, I
have the honor to inform you that, by this opportunity, he conveys
to the government of Guatemala proposals for co-operation in behalf
of the peace of these States, to which he invokes your good offices
so far as may be consistent with your official duty and
discretion.
I said, for my own part, to Señor Carazo, that while prohibited from
entanglements with local politics, I felt sure that any efforts to
avert these frequent and disastrous wars would receive the approval
of my Government.
I added, that war being declared and armies passing to the frontiers,
I feared the task of reconciliation was now difficult, but that much
might be done to abridge its duration and mitigate its horrors.
I am, &c.,
Hon. Silas A. Hudson,
Minister of the United States,
Guatemala.
