Soto , Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guatemala to Señor Soto, December 21, 1873

Mr. Williamson to Señor Soto.

Sir: I have the honor to reply to your excellency’s note of the first instant, handed me on the eve of my departure for Costa Rica. Inclosed your excellency will find a copy of a memorandum of a conversation on the 10th instant, at Punta Arenas, with President Guardia, an open letter from President Guardia to President Barrios, and a sealed letter from Mr. Edward Corbett; Her Britannic Majesty’s minister, which he read to me before sealing. These papers will inform your excellency’s government of the strongly expressed desire of the president of Costa Rica for peace in Central America, and also of his approval of the proposed personal conference of the five Presidents. I hope all the good results may follow the conference that reasonably may be expected, and redound to the honor of the Presidents of Guatemala and Salvador who inaugurated this seemingly happy plan of settling the differences among the states and their chief magistrates. I also beg to inform your excellency that, on my return voyage from Costa Rica, I sent a copy of the inclosed memorandum to the President of Nicaragua, and handed one to President Gonzalez, whom I had the good fortune to meet at Amapala.

Renewing to your excellency the assurance of my high consideration, I have the honor to be your obedient servant,