Angel Maria Arroyo to Señor Gallegos, April 22, 1885
Señor Arroyo to Señor Gallegos.
To the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Salvador:
In consequence of the re-establishment of peace between the Republics of Central America, your excellency is pleased to inform me that the Government of Salvador, with the view that its effects be made to benefit the mutual interests of these peoples, who imperiously demand the restoration of the Central American nationality, has given your excellency instructions to direct yourself, through my medium, to my Government, proposing to it in the name of Salvador the suggestion of granting to a Central American congress the necessary powers to proclaim, should it be deemed expedient, the political union of these Republics into one nation, decreeing the constitution which shall regulate it and the other necessary steps for the provisional organization of the public trusts. With this aim your excellency, appealing to traditions and ties of these Republics and making most just considerations in favor of the great proposition, is pleased to urge my Government that accepting the proposal of the national reorganization, it accredit! if it deems well, five ministers to the Central American congress which the Government of your excellency proposes should unite on the 15th of May next in the city of Santa Tecla, with the object of proclaiming the Central American Union and dictating the fundamental laws of the Union, or of adopting at least those dispositions of general interest which shall conduce to this event, drawing tighter, as much as possible the ties and interests of the Republics of Central America.
Lastly, your excellency adds, in accordance with an especial recommendation of the President of that Republic, that this official is firmly resolved to withdraw from the Government of Salvador, and that he will await only, in order to do so, until the above mentioned congress decides what it considers expedient concerning the important subject of nationality, whether it be realized or that the division which at present exists between the Republics of Central America be continued.
I brought at a fitting moment the contents of the telegram, to which I have the honor to reply, to the knowledge of the President, and that official has authorized me to say to your excellency the following:
The Government of Guatemala would in no case need to accept the great proposal of Central American nationality, which it has on all occasions and by ail the means which your excellency proposes to-day always been the first to initiate. The 15th of September, 1875, there was convoked a congress of plenipotentiaries by a circular from this cabinet. This congress met in this capital on the 15th of January, 1876, and after having held several sessions, on the tenth, finished its labors by signing a treaty of peace, preparatory to a union of the five Central American Republics.
In the year 1883 plenipotentiaries of Salvador and Guatemala conferred with the Governments of the other three Republics of Central America concerning the expediency of a congress of plenipotentiaries, meeting in Santa Tecla or in Almachapan, these plenipotentiaries having full powers to discuss the bases of the reorganization of Central America and to formulate the national constitution and the other organic laws.
Unfortunately, these labors undertaken by Guatemala and Salvador did not have any practical result to the realization of this patriotic idea. Notwithstanding, as your excellency is well aware, the Government of Guatemala did not desist in its efforts nor was discouraged by the oppositions and difficulties of that time. On the the contrary, it carried the ardor of its enthusiastic desires to the point of seconding the invitations that, by means of the foreign press and the free press of Central America, were made to General Barrios to undertake this task, as the only existing man called to realize it.
Your excellency and your Government know very well the history of the last events which might have caused the total ruin of Central America. After the disasters of the war and the sad death of the chief who had risen to carry into practice the idea of the Central American nationality, there was signed, owing to the intervention of the diplomatic corps, an honorable and worthy peace between those five Republics, and popular feasts were celebrated in commemoration of the fortunate event.
Notwithstanding the passions are not calmed in all respects, the minds are still unquiet. The general, President of the Republic of Guatemala, finds himself temporarily at the head of the executive; popular elections; of the constitutional President are being prepared; most urgent subjects of home policy demand the attention of the Government. It does not consider that the moment is favorable to discuss a question, which, for the reason that it is esteemed of vital importance to the interests of Central America, demands the greatest moderation and the most absolute calm and quiet. Therefore ray Government, without undervaluing the invitation which your excellency sets forth, considers at present premature the meeting of this congress.
On the other hand, the actual designated, in exercise of the Presidency, thinks it expedient to defer entirely this matter to that which the new constitutional President may resolve, after hearing the decision of the Legislative Assembly which will meet the first of March of next year.
It is in such terms that I have the honor to respond to your esteemed telegram, reiterating the assurances of my respectful consideration.