Geo. Williamson to To His Excellency Mr. George Williamson, March 23, 1875

No. 109. Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.

Sir: I have the honor to hand you herewith an English and Spanish copy of the protocol signed by the minister of foreign affairs of Honduras and ‘myself yesterday, in regard to the settlement of the question of the outrage upon our consulate at Omoa, in July, 1873; two notes and translations addressed to me by the minister, a copy and translation of the decree accompanying one of the notes, and a copy of my reply of this date.

I beg to call your attention especially to my reply, as it contains, in as diplomatic language as I was able to employ, my views upon the presentation of the constitutional and legal argument of the minister.

The government of Honduras professed to be anxious to comply with the demand as originally presented, and, as I understood, agreed on in February, 1874, and, I believe, if it had dared to do so, would have pledged itself to begin proceedings against the officer in command at Omoa at the time of the outrage. The real difficulty, in my judgment, was not on account of constitutional or legal restrictions; for Central American history testifies that they are not usually regarded when the executive has the power and will to override them. It was substantially based on the following facts:

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3d. Fear of the party of Arias, of which Straeber (the offending official) was the military chief, and of which he is now one of the most active and unscrupulous members.

My reasons for not pressing that part of the demand at this time, but, as you will see by Article Y of the protocol, leaving it for you to decide whether it should be pressed hereafter, were mainly as follows:

1st. Because in such a country as this, where there is no sound public opinion, and no punishment of crime, it would have probably elevated the fellow who was to be degraded.

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When the demand was first made in February, 1874, General Straeber, as he is called, was so infamous that I had reason to believe a compliance with the demand would have been hailed with apparent satisfaction, even by his own party. Now there is a great change, and I think such an occasion would be eagerly seized upon to make Straeber a hero, and to overthrow the present government of Leiva. I beg leave also to, remark that I am informed, both by President L3iva and Minister Zuniga, as well as others, that Straeber neither is now, nor has he ever been, a general of Honduras. They say he was appointed to that rank by Provisional President Arias, but has never been confirmed by the Congress. I am also told he is a German by birth, and as an apothecary shop-boy until he undertook to play the role of a military chieftain. From all I can learn, he may be justly classed among those mischievous adventurers who find this country a fitting field for the exercise of their little talents and the display of their vicious pretensions.

The salute was fired in the Plaza of Comayagua, on the morning of the 22d instant, in accordance with the terms of the protocol, in the presence of the troops, the minister of foreign affairs and of war, myself, and spectators. I insisted upon the minister proposing to fire the salute in the plaza of the capital, among other reasons, because it would give the greatest publicity. Such an event is said never to have occurred before in the history of Honduras.

One incident in connection with the firing of the salute and the arrangement of the flag I beg leave to mention. At the request of the President the flag of Honduras was dragged up after the American flag. I consented to what I considered this self-imposed degradation of their flag upon the conditions that the American flag was to be first hoisted and saluted before the flag of Honduras was unfurled, and that the flag of Honduras should be hauled down and the American flag alone left flying at the conclusion of the salute. This was done in accordance with the conditions, and I took occasion to say publicly that my Government was in no way responsible for such extraordinary treatment of the flag of Honduras. What was meant by the President’s request and submission to such conditions I am wholly unable to comprehend. Immediately after the salute was fired I called upon the President and exchanged congratulations with him. He and his minister accompanied me to my rooms and staid an hour or so with me.

I trust the protocol may receive your approbation, and also that our Government may come to the conclusion that it can, with honor, allow the whole question to be considered as definitively settled. This country is in such an unhappy state that it is helpless, and (I fear) on the eve of anarchy. The government cannot obtain sufficient funds to pay its soldiers and employés. It cannot enforce authority. Peculations of public moneys at the ports of entry are openly admitted and permitted, because the President says he cannot put in better men.

There is no agriculture, no mining industry, no source of present wealth, and such complete disorganization of society that even a revolution might be a beneficial change. Honduras is surely in a pitiable plight.

In regard to the decree of amnesty, a copy of which is herewith sent, I beg leave to say that, while it is questionable whether it is applicable to the case of Straeber, it is certainly an evidence that the present government of Honduras has acted with that kind of faith which has so long been considered an element of Central American diplomacy. No mention of its existence was made until after the protocol had been signed; and, I have good reason to believe, it was passed after the receipt by the President and by Mr. Zuniga of my personal notes to them of January, in which I told them of my intended visit to Comayagua in February, and recalled to their minds the terms agreed upon in February, 1874.

Hoping my whole course in this matter may meet your approval, I have, &c.,