Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912

File No. 817.011/6.

The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

American Legation,
Managua, January 12, 1912.

In the Assembly yesterday the Minister for Foreign Affairs declined to comply with the Assembly’s demand that he sign the constitution. A stormy scene ensued, in which American intervention was attacked. The Assembly does nothing without the assent of Mena, whose party is uniformly anti-American. To allay the excitement the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the request of President Díaz, agreed to sign. The President and Mena have promised me, however, not to allow promulgation of the constitution until January 31.

Gunther.