No. 27.
Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.
Guatemala, August 14, 1876. (Received Sept. 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Marco A. Soto left this city a few days ago to assume the presidency of Honduras.
He has been so often mentioned in my dispatches that there is but little to add concerning him. He is under thirty years of age, a man of amiable manners, quite sprightly, and is well acquainted, by his experience as minister of foreign affairs of Guatemala, with the method of managing public affairs in these countries.
It is announced here that all the claimants to the presidency of Honduras—Leiva, Medina, Arias, and Gomez—are favorable to Mr. Soto; [Page 37] also that nearly all the principal persons and towns in that unhappy state have pronounced in his favor. No election has yet been held, but it is presumed, when Mr. Soto is fully established in power, the people of Honduras will be permitted to pass through that usual formality in this quarter. However that may be, it is well ascertained that the government of Guatemala, with the co-operation of that of Salvador, has determined to make Mr. Soto president of Honduras.
It is alleged by the government here that his assumption of that position will save that state from anarchy and will insure the peace for ten years. In my judgment, this act is the final consummation of the policy that promoted the revolution of Medina and declared the late war against Salvador. Barrios, Samayoa, and Soto composed the triumvirate that governed Guatemala. Honduras has been assigned to Soto. If the convention of Chingo had been carried out by Salvador, the assignment would have been made without war. Her government understood what was intended; resisted, and was overthrown. That of Leiva was powerless. Soto may be president of Honduras as long as he is supported by the arms of Guatemala and Salvador. He must take his orders from the former.
I have, &c.,