Hall to Don Salvador Gallegos and Hon. Don Delfino Sanchez, April 14, 1883

No. 23. Mr. Hall to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

Sir: The subject of the union of the Central American states under one general government has been referred to in my dispatches No. 56, of the 8th January, and No. 85, of the 27th of March ultimo. In the letter I stated that there was no prospect that the present movement would be successful. Subsequent events fully confirm that opinion.

It would seem that the project never had any real support outside of Guatemala, although ostensibly favored by the Governments of Salvador and Honduras, and commended by the late President Zavala, of Nicaragua, in his last message.

In all the states except Guatemala the popular opposition has been demonstrative and apparently nearly unaninous.* * *

In my dispatches above referred to, I reported that commissioners of Guatemala and Salvador had visited the other states. The result of their mission was an agreement on the part of all the states to send delegates to a convention which it was proposed to hold in Salvador in March last. The convention did not meet at the time appointed, and it now appears none will be held. Costa Rica* * * declines to send delegates. This was communicated by the representatives of that state in Nicaragua to the Nicaraguan Government and by the minister for foreign affairs to his colleague of Guatemala, and inquiring into the advisability of a convention of the other four states; in reply, the Nicaraguan minister is informed that a meeting of the delegates of four states, with the object of forming a union of five, could have no practical result.* * *

I transmit herewith the published correspondence and other documents relating to the foregoing, taken from the official newspaper at this capital. They comprise the note of the minister for foreign affairs of Costa Rica, addressed to the two commissioners before referred to; the correspondence between Nicaragua and Guatemala, and the circular of the Costa Rican Government, setting forth the reasons which constrain it not to send delegates to the proposed interstate convention.

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I have, &c.,