pared to make. I am, therefore, directed to acquaint you that he declines to receive you as minister from Nicaragua." a

"Your dispatches of the 10th of November, Nos. 5 and 6, have been received. In your No. 5 you announce that a revoluCosta Rica, 1868. tion has taken place in Costa Rica, which was effected by the mere display of military force, unresisted, and without the effusion of blood. You further announce that in that movement the President, Señor Castro, was deposed, and the first provisional substitute, Señor Jimenez, had assumed the executive power. The further transactions mentioned are an acquiescence of the several provinces, the suspension of the constitution, and the call of a national convention to adopt a new constitution. As a consequence of these events, you have recognized the new President, subject to directions on the occasion from the President of the United States.

"It does not belong to the Government or people of the United States to examine the causes which have led to this revolution, or to pronounce upon the exigency which they created. Nevertheless, great as that exigency may have been, the subversion of a free republican constitution, only nine years old, by military force, in a sister American Republic, cannot but be an occasion of regret and apprehension to the friends of the system of republican government, not only here, but throughout the world.

"It only remains to say that the course which you have pursued is approved, insomuch as it appears that there is not only no civil war, but no Government contending with the one which has been established." Mr. Seward, Sec. of State, to Mr. Blair, Dec. 1, 1868, Dip. Cor. 1868, II. 337.

a Mr. Marcy, Sec. of State, to Señor Don Antonio José de Irisarri, Oct. 28, 1856, MS. Notes to Cent. Am. I. 119.

Oct. 18, 1886, Mr. Castellon, minister of foreign relations of Nicaragua, addressed to Mr. Hall, the minister of the United States, the following note: "I have the honor to inform you that having transcribed to the minister of the treasury your esteemed note of the 224 September, together with a copy of the bond accompanying it, I have received the reply of which the following is a copy:

"I have had the honor to receive the communication that you were pleased to address me on the 8th inst., in which is transmitted the note of the minister of the United States, dated the 22d of September, inquiring as to the authenticity and validity of the supposed bond of this Republic issued, as it is pretended, in conformity with a decree of the Government of Nicaragua of the 28th of August, 1856. A textual copy of the bond accompanies the above-mentioned note.

"The mentioned decree is not known to the Government, nor does it exist on the records of our loans, nor is the obligation to which it refers a legitimate debt of the Republic. By the dates that are cited I perceive that it must be the work of the filibusters of Walker, who were here about that time, and whose history of depredation and rapine is well known. Of course the foreign usurpers never had any right to compromise the credit of this Republic."" (For. Rel. 1887, 76. This reply was referred to by Mr. Day, Assist. Sec. of State, in a letter to Mr. Taliaferro, Oct. 9, 1897, 221 MS. Dom. Let. 409.)

The peace of Central America has again been disturbed through a revolutionary change in Salvador, which was not recogSalvador, 1890. nized by other states, and hostilities broke out between Salvador and Guatemala, threatening to involve all Central America in conflict and to undo the progress which had been made toward a union of their interests. The efforts of this Government were promptly and zealously exerted to compose their differences, and through the active efforts of the representative of the United States a provisional treaty of peace was signed August 26, whereby the right of the Republic of Salvador to choose its own rulers was recognized. General Ezeta, the chief of the provisional government, has since been confirmed in the Presidency by the assembly, and diplomatic recognition duly followed."

President Harrison, Annual Message, Dec. 1, 1890.

July 17, 1893, the minister of the United States in Nicaragua was instructed "to report without delay when the control of the executive power of Nicaragua shall pass with general acquiescence to any government, and to maintain an attitude of impartiality during the deeply deplored continuance of civil dissensions in that country."a

Greater Republic of
Central America.

By a treaty concluded at Amapala, Honduras, June 20, 1895, and of which the ratifications were exchanged on the 15th of September, 1896, the Republics of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Salvador agreed to form a single political organization for the exercise of their external sovereignty, with the title of the Greater Republic of Central America. The President of the United States recognized this organization by receiving a minister from it on December 24, 1896, such recognition being given "upon the distinct understanding that the responsibility of each of these Republics toward the United States remains wholy unaffected." The United States, however, remained without a representative to the Greater Republic of Central America, appropriations continuing to be made for a minister to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Salvador, and a minister to Guatemala and Honduras, and the two ministers continuing to be so accredited. Owing to the compact of June 20, 1895, whereby the members of the Greater Republic of Central America had surrendered to the representative Diet the right to send and receive diplomatic agents, the minister to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Salvador was received only by Costa Rica; and the minister to Guatemala and Honduras only by Guatemala. Subsequently a permanent constitution was formed under the name of "The United States of Central

a Mr. Gresham, Secretary of State, to Mr. Baker, minister to Nicaragua, tel., July 17, 1893, For. Rel. 1893, 203; same to same, Aug. 15, 1893, Id. 212.

For. Rel. 1896, 366–371, 390–392, 395.

e 29 Stat. 579; 30 Stat. 262. See, also, Annual Message of the President, Dec. 6, 1897.

d President's Annual Message, Dec. 5, 1898, p. 22.

H. Doc. 551—10

America." It was signed by representatives of the three States, at Managua, August 27, 1898, and was to take effect November 1. On that day, pursuant to its provisions, a provisional executive council was installed at Amapala, to last till a president should be elected by the people. Almost immediately, however, revolutionary movements occurred, and particularly a separatist movement in Salvador. November 29, 1898, the provisional executive council announced the dissolution of the union, and similar announcements by the individual States immediately followed, each one resuming its independent sovereignty.a "This was followed by the reception of Minister Merry by the republics of Nicaragua and Salvador, while Minister Hunter in turn presented his credentials to the Government of Honduras, thus reverting to the old distribution of the diplomatic agencies of the United States in Central America for which our existing statutes provide. A Nicaraguan envoy has been accredited to the United States.”

9. MEXICO.

$51.

President Pierce, in a special message of May 15, 1856, observed that "five successive revolutionary governments" had Comonfort, Zuloaga, and Miramon made their appearance in Mexico “in the course of a Governments. few months, and been recognized successively each as the political power of that country by the United States." On the very day on which this message was published, Ignatius Comonfort, as vice-president of the Republic, in the exercise of extraordinary powers, proclaimed a provisional constitution. In the following year the present federal constitution of Mexico was adopted. Comonfort took an oath to support it, and was elected constitutional president for the four years beginning December 1, 1857. Within a month, as the result of a revolution, he was driven from power, and a military government was set up by General Zuloaga. This government was recognized by the entire diplomatie corps, including Mr. Forsyth, the minister of the United States, without awaiting instructions. No answer appears to have been made to the dispatch in which Mr. Forsyth reported this action. Zuloaga, however, was soon expelled by

a For. Rel. 1898, 173-178.

President McKinley, Annual Message, Dec. 5, 1899. Dec. 6, 1898, Mr. Hay, Secretary of State, telegraphed to Mr. Hunter that, as the union of the United States of Central America had apparently broken up without restoration of the Diet, he should address the executive of Honduras, offering to present his original credentials. (For. Rel., 1899, 355.) Dec. 20, 1898, Mr. Hunter, in order to make sure that his credentials would be received, transmitted by mail to the minister of foreign affairs of Honduras his original credentials and letter to President Bonilla. (For. Rel., 1898, 356.) He was duly advised of his recognition as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the Republic of Honduras. The decree so recognizing him was dated January 19, 1899. (For. Rel. 1899, 357–360.)

c H. Ex. Doc. 103, 34 Cong. 1 sess. 5.

d Moore, Int. Arbitrations, II. 1289.

General Miramon, with whom the foreign ministers also entered into relations. But in June, 1858, Mr. Forsyth, dissatisfied with the state of his negotiations, broke off diplomatic relations with the Miramon government till he should ascertain the decision of the President. President Buchanan approved his decision, and directed him to demand his passports and return to the United States.

Meanwhile, Benito Juarez, who as chief justice of the Republic became the constitutional president on the deposiJuarez Government. tion of Comonfort, but who as leader of the Liberal party was compelled to fly from the capital, had after many vicissitudes succeeded in establishing a government at Vera Cruz. On the strength of a report of a confidential agent, President Buchanan sent out a new minister, Mr. McLane, with discretionary authority to recognize the government of President Juarez if, on his arrival in Mexico, he should find it entitled to recognition according to the established practice of the United States. Mr. McLane was specifically instructed that it was not an essential condition of the recognition of a government that it should be in possession of the capital, but that it was enough if it was "obeyed over a large majority of the country and the people, and is likely to continue." Mr. McLane, on April 7, 1859, presented his credentials to President Juarez, and thus recognized his government, which he pronounced to be "the only existing government of the Republic."

The government of Maximilian in Mexico never was recognized by the United States, the recognition of the Juarez government continuing throughout the period of the

The Empire.

French intervention."

The Mexican law for the settlement of the national debt, proclaimed June 18, 1883, Art. I, sec. 5, reads: "We can not recognize, and for this reason there are not to enter into this conversion, the debts which emanated from the government which pretended to exist in Mexico from Dec. 17, 1857, to Dec. 24, 1860, and from June 1, 1863, to June 21, 1867." (Mr. Adee, Second Assist. Sec. of State, to Mr. Banks, Dec. 10, 1897, MSS. Dept. of State.)

a Mr. Cass, Secretary of State, to Mr. McLane, Mar. 7, 1859, MS. Inst. Mexico, XVII. 213; also, same to same, May 25, 1859, id. 232.

b Curtis, Life of Buchanan, II. 215.

See, also, Mr. Cass, Secretary of State, to Mr. Dallas, May 12, 1859, MS. Inst. Gr. Britain, XVII. 190, referring to the recognition of the Juarez government by the United States, and deprecating the employment against it of forcible measures, which Great Britain was reported then to contemplate for the collection of claims against Mexico, although the British minister still maintained relations with the Miramon government at the capital.

e Mr. Seward, Sec. of State, May 16, 1864, MS. Inst. Papal States, I. 75; Mr. Seward, Sec. of State, to Mr. Bigelow, March 13, 1865, MS. Inst. France, XVII. 296; Mr. Seward, Sec. of State, to the Marquis de Montholon, Memorandum, July 18, 1865, MS. Notes to French Leg. VIII. 140; Mr. Seward, Sec. of State, to Mr. Scudder, May 4, 1866, 73 MS. Dom. Let. 32, Correspondence and Memoranda, Dip. Cor. 1865, III. 484-489.

ment.

November 28, 1876, General Porfirio Diaz issued a proclamation announcing himself provisional president of the repubFirst Diaz Govern- lic of Mexico, under the plan of Tuxtepec." January 19, 1877, intelligence having been received at Washington of the defeat of the forces of the rival claimants, Mr. Fish suggested that if this should be confirmed by similar tidings received at the City of Mexico, General Diaz "would have no important adversary in arms, and might be regarded as the actual ruler of the country." The question of recognizing his government was under the circumstances left to the discretion of the American minister." In view, however, of the unsettled state of affairs in Mexico, and especially of the existence of controversies between the two countries growing out of troubles on the Rio Grande frontier, it was afterwards determined that the government of the United States, although it was "accustomed to accept and recognize the results of a popular choice in Mexico and not to scrutinize closely the regularity or irregularity of the methods" by which those results were brought about, would in the particular instance "wait before recognizing General Diaz as President of Mexico until it shall be assured that his election is approved by the Mexican people, and that his administration is possessed of stability to endure and of disposition to comply with the rules of international comity and the obligations of treaties." The Diaz government was officially recognized by Germany, May 30, 1877; by Salvador and Guatemala, June 7; by Spain, June 16, and soon afterwards similar action was taken by Italy. These were all the powers then represented in Mexico, except the United States. In his annual message of December 3, 1877, President Hayes stated that it had been "the custom of the United States, when such [revolutionary] changes of government have heretofore occurred in Mexico, to recognize and enter into official relations with the de facto government as soon as it should appear to have the approval of the Mexican people and should manifest a disposition to adhere to the obligations of treaties and international friendship,” but that in the present case such official recognition has been deferred by the occurrences on the Rio Grande border." Official recognition was given early in May, 1878, when a formal reception was accorded to a new minister from Mexico, and the President formally replied to the letter of General Diaz announcing the recall of the previous representative.

@ Mr. Foster, minister to Mexico, to Mr. Fish, Sec. of State, Nov. 29, 1876, For. Rel. 1877, 385.

For. Rel. 1877, 394.

Mr. F. W. Seward, acting Sec. of State, to Mr. Foster, May 16, 1877, For. Rel. 1877, 404. See, also, Mr. Fish, Sec. of State, to Mr. Foster, Feb. 12, 1877, MS. Inst. Mexico, XIX. 321; Mr. Evarts, Sec. of State, to Mr. Foster, March 27, 1877, id. 327. d For. Rel. 1877, 409, 426.

f For. Rel. 1878, 675; Mr. Evarts, Sec. of State, to Mr. Foster, May 8, 1878, MS. Inst. Mexico, XIX. 408.