Francisco Alvarado to Henry Baxter, February 10, 1871

Señor Don Francisco Alvarado to Mr. Baxter.

Sir: The continuance of political refugees from Honduras in the department of San Miguel and La Union, has been a great cause of alarm to the towns on the frontier, which are in constant dread of an invasion. This alarm has recently increased on account of the positive refusal of the government of Salvador to concentrate the emigrants, as was requested by a commission from Honduras, and on account of said governments having subsequently placed considerable forces at San Miguel under the command of General Xatruch, the leader of the opposition party in Honduras.

This situation has placed obstacles in the way of the proper performance of the work on the inter-oceanic railway of Honduras, inasmuch as the partisans of General Xatruch foment hatred among the people against the engineers in charge of the work, and some evil-disposed persons have even gone so far as to threaten them with death, as you will see by the inclosed copy of a communication from Mr. James Maddey, the government engineer.

His excellency the President has already taken the necessary measures to protect the work; but if the invasion which is announced takes place at any point of the line the laborers must of course disperse, the engineers be in peril of their lives, and the large foreign capital employed in this great work be lost, or at least greatly prejudiced.

As those countries, on account of the inexperience of their political infancy, are constantly exposed to intestine commotions and to invasions from other States, the government of Honduras desired to secure with the friendly great foreign powers the neutrality of the line, in order that the labors which have been commenced might never be interrupted, and in order that the capital employed in the construction of the road might be guaranteed against any loss.

Among the great powers which have lent their guarantee to the government of Honduras is the great American republic, which, in the fourteenth article of the treaty of July 14, 1864, stipulated, “That, in consideration of these concessions, (those made to it by Honduras,) in order to insure the construction and permanency of the road aforesaid, as well as the advantages which its non-interruption offers to mankind, the Government of the United States recognizes the rights of sovereignty and ownership of Honduras in the line of the road; and for the same reason it positively and effectively guarantees its entire neutrality so long as the United States shall enjoy the privileges granted in the foregoing articles, &c.”

In virtue of this guarantee on the part of the United States of the non-interruption of a work in which mankind is so deeply interested, and to prevent the loss of or any injury to the large foreign capital which is employed therein, his excellency the President of Honduras, earnestly requests, through me, the very honorable Mr. Baxter, minister of the United States, to be pleased to notify the government of Salvador to refrain from attacking or occupying any point of the line of the railway from Amapala to Puerto Caballos in case of a war with Honduras, giving it to understand that any aggression, occupation, or attack on any of the points of the line aforesaid will render it responsible for any injury which may be done to the work in consequence of its interruption, and for any losses which may be suffered by the engineers, as likewise for any diminution of the value of the capital employed in the work.

This step, which his excellency the President hopes will be taken by his excellency Mr. Baxter, in consideration of the friendly and cordial relations which happily exist between the Government of the United States, of which your excellency is a worthy representative, and that of the republic of Honduras, is only designed to prevent the aforesaid injuries to the work of building the road; for, in the event of an invasion by the government of Salvador, this government feels confident that it possesses the elements and resources necessary for the defense of the State.

I beg your excellency to be pleased to give me a reply in due time to this note, and to acccept, at the same time, the assurance of my respect and high consideration.