[Inclosure in No. 197.-Translation.] Mr. Sansón to Mr. Merry. EXECUTIVE FEDERAL COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES OF CENTRAL AMERICA, Amapala, November 29, 1898. SIR: The executive federal council was inaugurated in this city on the 1st instant, putting into force the political constitution of the United States of Central America, decreed by the constituent of Managua the 27th August of this year. This political entity was born to national life with the spontaneous assemblage of the Governments of the States of Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador as signers of the pact of Amapala, that has been the chief generator of the idea of union, and with all the assistance of public opinion frankly manifested through the. organs of the press of most authority and by the majority of the political clubs of these States. It seemed as if the work of national union, so longed for by Central American patriotism, was consolidated, presenting in the lap of peace the charming fruit of order and of liberty. The council complied religiously with the mandate of the law, and in its first work of organization was directed in the straight path of justice, without overlooking the peculiarities of these countries, in order not to wound for a moment the customs of many years; but before entering upon the full exercise of its functions and taking into its hands the means of public adminis tration that corresponded to its constitutional sphere, it was surprised by the cry of rebellion that the barracks of the State of El Salvador raised against it, proclaiming as supreme head Gen. Tomas Regalado, who declared dissolved the Federal Republic in name of the people of Salvador, who submitted through the force of arms to his will. As soon as it had knowledge of the successes the executive federal council exerted itself to suffocate the rebellious movement, and in this noble effort employed all the means that patriotism demands under the circumstances. Unfortunately events took place with great rapidity, many military commanders in the service of the federation failed in their duty and weakened the prompt and timely action of the council, and in consequence the State of El Salvador remained in fact separated from the body of the Republic. In presence of occurrences so serious that the council found it impossible to overcome them for the reasons given, and through the circumstance of its recent installation it not being permissible to remove many of the military commanders who were not in its confidence, it has seen itself under the painful necessity of declaring the Republic of the United States of Central America dissolved, and the council being unable to continue in the exercise of its powers, declines in its persons the responsibility of the rupture of the federation. Upon bringing the foregoing to the knowledge of your excellency, in order that you may duly place it before your Government, I have the honor to repeat the assurances of my highest esteem, etc. J. SANSÓN. Mr. Sansón to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] NATIONAL PALACE, Managua, December 5, 1898. MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor herewith to transmit to your excellency the autograph letter which is addressed by His Excellency General President Zelaya to His Excellency the President of the United States of America, informing him of the political change which took place in Nicaragua on the 1st instant. Begging your excellency to forward the autograph letter in question to its high destination, I offer you the assurance of my most distinguished consideration. Your excellency's faithful and obedient servant, J. SANSÓN. [Inclosure. Translation.] J. Santos Zelaya, General of Division and Constitutional President of the Republic of Nicaragua, to His Excellency the President of the United States of America. GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND: The military occurrences which have taken place in the State of El Salvador since the 13th ultimo have put an end to the Federal Republic of the United States of Central America, and the Executive Council which represented it was obliged, on the 29th of the same month, to declare the de facto separation of the signatory States. The result of this situation has been that Nicaragua, an integral part of the federation, has recovered her absolute sovereignty as a free and independent nation, and has adopted her former name of a Republic, governed by democratic institutions. While the end of this new attempt to form a federation, which was so greatly desired by all Central American patriots, is to be lamented, I entertain the firm conviction that the antecedents of this country and those of my Government in its relations with other nations, and especially with the United States, will render it possible to reestablish those relations in a satisfactory manner, and to strengthen them on a footing of the sincerest and most advantageous cordiality. My Government will spare no pains to promote the accomplishment of these desires, and I avail myself of this occasion to inform you that the people and Government of Nicaragua feel the most lively sympathy for your beautiful country, and earnestly desire its further progress and prosperity. With the sincerest wishes for the peace and well-being of the United States, and for your own personal happiness and welfare, I beg you to accept the assurance of my most distinguished consideration. Your faithful friend, J. S. ZELAYA. Done at the National Palace of Managua, on this 5th day of the month of December, 1898. GENERAL MINISTRY, REPUBLIC OF SALVADOR, SIR: I have the honor to inform your excellency that a political evolution took place in this country on the 14th of November last, which was designed to reestablish the autonomy and independence of this Republic, breaking, to this effect, the bonds of union with the neigh boring Republics of Nicaragua and Honduras. That movement, which was in harmony with public opinion and seconded by all Salvadorians, has called a new government into existence under the provisional presi dency of Gen. Tomás Regalado, of which the undersigned is minister general; this Government has been spontaneously recognized by the whole country, which is in the full enjoyment of peace and tranquillity. In consequence of the aforesaid event, the executive federal council that represented the ephemeral political entity which was called the United States of Central America was dissolved at Amapala by an instrument bearing date of November 29; the Governments of Nicaragua and Honduras have likewise thereby recovered their independent existence, and the separation of this from those Republics has been consummated, all three having resumed their former amicable relations. The Republic of El Salvador has therefore fully reassumed its autonomy and independence, and has begun once more by itself to form part of the great family of nations, and it desires to reestablish its relations of friendship with those nations with which it had the honor formerly to sustain them. I consequently have the honor to address your excellency for the purpose of informing you that the new Government of El Salvador earnestly desires to maintain and cultivate the most cordial relations of friendship with the Government of the United States of America. Your excellency will find inclosed two copies of the Official Journal,' one of which contains the decree reestablishing the autonomy of this Republic, and the other the decree whereby the diplomatic ministers and consular corps of the Greater Republic of Central America are declared no longer to represent El Salvador in foreign countries, of which fact the said officers have already been informed. I beg your excellency to bring the foregoing to the knowledge of your Government, and at the same time to accept, eic., E. ARANJO. Mr. Ugarte to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, Tegucigalpa, December 10, 1898. SIR: In pursuance of a treaty concluded at Amapala on the 20th day of June, 1895, the States of Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador delegated their transient sovereignty to the diet of the Greater Republic of Central America, which was installed September 15, 1896, and assumed charge of the foreign relations of the three countries. That diet, according to the aforesaid treaty of Amapala, was to cease to exercise its functions as soon as the constitution should be adopted whereby the three contracting States were to unite their interests in a stable and permanent mauner. That constitution was discussed at Managua by the representatives of the three States, was signed on the 27th of August last, and was promulgated as a law of the new political entity called "The United States of Central America." On the 1st of November last, in pursuance of the provisions of the constitution adopted, a provisional executive council was installed at Amapala for the purpose of discharging the functions of president of the Republic, pending the election by the people of the citizen who was definitively to fill that high position. Unfortunately, a movement for separation, headed in the State of El Salvador by Gen. Tomás Regalado, and the subsequent events mentioned in the instrument of dissolution of the council which I have the honor herewith to inclose for your excellency's information, resulted in a rupture of the federation, the States which formed it resuming in consequence their transient sovereignty under the name of Republics, and the decree being issued here in Honduras, an authenticated copy of which I likewise inclose to your excellency, in order that you may take note of its contents. Having been called by the Government of this Republic to discharge the duties of minister of foreign relations, I take pleasure in assuring you excellency, in obedience to the instructions of the President, that the Government earnestly desires to continue to cultivate and daily to draw closer, if possible, the friendly relations which have happily existed, and still exist, between Honduras and the United States of America, and that it is firmly purposed to do all in its power to pro. mote the moral and material interests of both by means of a policy of sincere cordiality. With assurances, etc., ÁNGEL UGARTE. No. 81.] CHILE. CHILE-ARGENTINE BOUNDARY DISPUTE.1 Mr. Wilson to Mr. Hay. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Referring to my No. 78 of October 31, regarding the negotiations concluded on the 30th ultimo, for submitting the question pending between Chile and the Argentine Republic relative to the Puna de Atacama to a commission of delegates to meet at Buenos Ayres, presided over by the United States minister to the Argentine, I now beg to inclose a copy and translation of the agreement arrived at between the two Governments. Since the publication of this document the meeting of the commission, which had been fixed for December 1, 1898, has been postponed by mutual consent to March 1, 1899. I have, etc., HENRY L. WILSON. [Inclosure in No. 81.-Translation.] SANTIAGO, November 23, 1898. Whereas the national congress has approved the following bill: SOLE ARTICLE. The National Congress approves the two documents, signed in Santiago on November 2, 1898, by the minister of foreign relations of Chile and the chargé d'affaires and plenipotentiary ad hoc of the Argentine Republic, Señor Don Alberto Blancas, the object of which documents is to agree upon the meeting in Buenos Ayres of a commission of delegates from both countries which shall fix the boundary line between parallels 230 and 26° 52′ 45′′, south latitude; and to agree, in case the said commission is unable to come to any decision, upon the designation of a commission, to be composed of a Chilean and an Argentine delegate and the present United States minister to the Argentine Republic, to definitely settle the dividing line. And whereas, having heard the opinion of the council of state, I have seen fit to approve of and sign it? Let it be promulgated and carried out as a law of the Republic. FEDERICO ERRAZURIZ. In the city of Santiago de Chile, on the 2d day of November, 1898, Señor Don Juan José Latorre, the minister of foreign relations, and Señor Don Alberto Blancas, chargé d'affaires and plenipotentiary ad hoc of the Argentine Republic, according to the telegraphic credentials, which shall later on be ratified in the usual manner, having met in the office of the ministry of foreign relations, declared that the Governments of the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic, being desirous of arriving at an agreement regarding all the questions which affect or may affect the two countries directly or indirectly, thus establishing, in a thorough, frank, and See also under Argentine Republic. |