Henry Scholfield , Chargé d’Affaires of Her Britannic Majesty in Central America to Mr. Scholfield, April 25, 1874

Sefior Soto to Mr. Scholfield.

Sir: Yesterday, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, you were pleased to call upon me at the ministry of foreign relations for the purpose of laying before me a telegram which you had just received, and in which it was stated that Mr. John Magee, vice-consul of Her Britannic Majesty, had been arrested by order of the commandante of the port of San José, a Spaniard in the service of the government, José Gonzalez by name.

I took you at once before the president of the republic, who, after having heard your statement, instructed the minister of war to direct General Gregorio Solares, who was at Escuintla, to repair at once to San José and set Mr. Magee at liberty, ordering Commandante Gonzalez, at the same time, to appear before the government and give an account of his conduct, and, in case of his having cut the telegraph-line, to bring him, securely guarded, to this capital.

This order was given to General Solares, because the inspector of telegraphs reported that the telegraph-line to the port of San José was not working, for the reason, as was suspected, that the office had been closed by Commandante Gonzalez himself.

If the telegraph had been in working order as far as the port, the order for the release of Mr. Magee would have been sent directly.

At about half past five in the afternoon the telegraph was again in working order, and the news was then received that Commandante Gonzalez had ordered Mr. John Magee, vice-consul of Her Britannic Majesty, to be flogged.

As soon as the government was informed of this outrage, it ordered, as you are aware, the political chief of Escuintla to go, with the garrison of that place, to the port of San José, to the end that General Solares might be the better enabled to arrest the delinquents and other persons implicated in so criminal an act. Moreover, to prevent the guilty parties from escaping, strict orders were given to the frontier authorities of Salvador and Mexico, in order that the crime to which I refer might in no case remain unpunished.

Later in the evening the President, not being content with the prompt measures already taken, went to the telegraph-office, accompanied by the minister of war, where he remained until after midnight, dictating orders that the life of Vice-Consul Magee should be saved by all means, since the distance did not permit him to act more efficiently.

The measures adopted resulted in protecting Mr. Magee from further outrages and in saving his life, which was in imminent danger from the rage of the Spaniard Gonzalez, who, on the arrival of General Solares, put off in a boat to the North American steamer Arizona, intending to seek refuge on board of that vessel.

The government, on learning this, requested the minister of the United States to order the commander of said steamer by no means to allow the fugitive Gonzalez to take refuge on board. The minister gave the order, as requested, and not only was admission on board of the steamer denied Gonzalez, but, as is known, he received a shot from the vessel, the particulars of which circumstance have not yet been received by the government. This occurrence caused Gonzalez to return to land, where he was at once captured by General Solares, together with the persons who appear to have been his accomplices.

The unjustifiable act to which I have been referring renders it incumbent upon me to address you, before any complaint is made, assuring you that this irregular and culpable proceeding has filled my government with great pain and indignation, and that, fully realizing the gravity of the occurrence, my government, as soon as informed thereof, acted with all the energy and zeal demanded by the friendly relations which have existed and do exist between the governments of Her Britannic Majesty and that of Guatemala. You have been a witness of the earnest solicitude of my government and of the manner in which it has deplored the outrage done to the consular agent of Her Britannic Majesty.

My government, sir, which sincerely desires to cultivate the most friendly relations with foreign powers, and especially with Great Britain, is ready, in view of this unfortunate occurrence, to give a further proof of this desire, and also of its determination that no foreigner coming to this republic shall be injured either in person or property, but that, on the contrary, all shall enjoy the hospitality of this country, with all the guarantees and securities that are furnished by the most civilized nations of the world. You may rest assured that the parties who have been guilty of the criminal act in question will be punished to the full extent of the law; also, that my government will give the fullest satisfaction to that of Her Britannic Majesty, and that it will make due reparation when the investigation which it has ordered shall be closed.

I have the honor to reiterate to you, sir, the assurances of my high consideration, and to subscribe myself,

Your obedient servant,