Hall to George D. Bayard, April 17, 1885
Mr. Hall to Mr. Bayard.
No. 338.]
Sir: In continuation of my dispatch No. 337 of the 15th instant, I have the honor to report to you the result of the last act of mediation between the Governments of Guatemala and Salvador on the part of the foreign representatives accredited to Central America.
In that dispatch I reported to you the unconditional acceptance by President Zaldivar of the terms of peace submitted to him, at his request, on the 13th instant. This prompt acceptance merited and received from them a proper recognition, which was communicated to him in the following telegram, dated the 15th instant:
The diplomatic corps accredited to Central America greet your Excellency, and in acknowledging the receipt of your courteous telegram, congratulate your Excellency the Government of Salvador, and the other Republics of Central America upon the satisfactory result of the mediation initiated by the corps in favor of peace.
The same day another telegram from President Zaldivar, addressed to the corps, was received; he transmitted with it a project of a decree declaring peace; a translation is inclosed herewith; he proposed also, that if accepted, it should be published simultaneously by the Governments, of the several states. As this project is in consonance with the terms proposed by the diplomatic corps, it was at once submitted to the Guatemalan Government, and as promptly accepted, with the few modifications required by the different conditions existing here.
I inclose also a translation of a note, dated the 15th instant, from the minister for foreign affairs of Guatemala, with which he transmits a copy of the declaratory decree, No. 323, of the Guatemalan Government, issued in consonance with the above-mentioned project.
It is to be hoped that with these declarations of peace between Guatemala and Salvador, which it was proposed should also be made simultaneously by the other states, the difficulties between them will terminate. There is as yet, however, no positive assurance that such will be the result.
I have, &c.,
project of decree.
The executive power of the Republic of Salvador, considering:
(1) That the causes which placed this Republic in a state of war with the Republic of Guatemala having ceased through the revocation by the assembly of the latter of the decree of the 28th February last past, which proclaimed, de facto, the union of Central America, and by the death of General Don J. Rufino Barrios, who, for the purpose of carrying it out, assumed the military command of this Republic;
(2) That the allied Governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica are animated by the same ideas in regard to interests of such vital importance, all having been in accord for the celebration of peace with the Republic of Honduras;
(3) That, through the medium of the honorable diplomatic corps accredited to Central America, a perfect understanding with the Government of Guatemala has been reached, the honorable basis of a firm and stable peace between the two Republics having been agreed to:
Therefore, in the exercise of the powers with which he is invested, he decrees:
- Article 1. Be it declared that the Republic of Salvador returns to-day to peace with her sister and neighbor Republic, Guatemala.
- Art. 2. Be it declared on the part of Salvador that the stipulations of the treaties with the Republic of Guatemala are in force as they were on the 28th of February last past, until a new treaty shall be made upon the same or more liberal bases, which establish the mutual relations of the two Republics.
- Art. 3. Let ample and safe amnesty be conceded to all those Salvadorians who are implicated in the union cause, which the Government of Guatemala proclaimed on the 28th of February, and, generally, to all those Salvadorians now absent on account of political offenses.
- Art. 4. Let a note expressive of national gratitude be communicated to the honorable diplomatic corps accredited to the Republics of Central America for their friendly and efficient mediation to obtain the re-establisment of peace among them.
- Art. 5. Let Sunday next, the 19th instant, be designated for due solemnization of the re-establishment of peace with Guatemala.
- Art. 6. The department of foreign relations is charged with the execution of the present decree, of which an account shall be given as soon as possible to the Legislative Assembly of the Republic.
Given in the National Palace, &c.,