WILLIAMSON, Minister of the United States to the Central American States to the states of Central America, representing his Government, in relation to the settlement of the question that has arisen between said governments on account of the outrage perpetrated upon the consulate of the United States at Omoa on or about the 9th day of July, A. D. 1873, (eighteen hundred and seventy-three,) by the troops or people of Omoa, March 22, 1875

Protocol of an interview between his excellency Adolfo Zuniga, minister of foreign affairs of Honduras, representing his government, and his excellency George Williamson, minister resident of the United States of America to the states of Central America, representing his Government, in relation to the settlement of the question that has arisen between said governments on account of the outrage perpetrated upon the consulate of the United States at Omoa on or about the 9th day of July, A. D. 1873, (eighteen hundred and seventy-three,) by the troops or people of Omoa.

• His excellency Mr. Williamson stated that, under instructions from his Government, he renewed the demand for satisfaction for the outrage upon the consulate of the United States at Omoa, on or about the 9th day of July, 1873, and hoped, from what was said in his conversation with the President and the minister of foreign affairs yesterday, that a satisfactory solution might be reached, honorable to both his Government and that of Honduras.
• The minister of the United States stated the demand for satisfaction was as follows:
  • That a letter of ample apology should be written to him, representing his Government, by the government of Honduras.
  • That a salute of twenty-one guns should be fired to the American flag, at a time and place to be designated.
• That the officer in command of Omoa and the fortress and troops of Honduras at that place at the time the said outrage was committed, should be dismissed from his rank, and by law be forever prohibited from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit, civil or military, under the government of Honduras. The minister of the United States also stated, if constitutional or legal obstacles existed that might prevent or hinder a compliance with the third article of the demand for satisfaction, that they would be considered.

His excellency Mr Zuniga, minister of foreign affairs, replied:

• That on the 19th of February, 1874, the government of Honduras answered the claim of his excellency Mr. Williamson, United States minister, signifying that the Honduras government deplored this disagreeable incident, offering to send to Omoa and to get the necessary information to verify the acts which gave cause to the claim; and that in case it was found true, the Honduras government would feel pleasure in doing justice to the Government of the United. States, as established by the laws of nations. To that effect a double information was taken by the civil and military judges of first instance at Omoa. Although from these informations it does not appear especially proven the entire act or outrage offered to the American consulate, which had to suffer from the forces stationed at Omoa, together with all the commercial houses, native and foreign, at that place, still the government has the moral conviction of the reality of the outrage, and for this reason the secretary of foreign affairs, in a dispatch of the 24th of November, in reply to the second claim of his excellency Mr. Williamson, United States minister, dated the 10th of October, stated that the government of Honduras was disposed to give the satisfaction demanded, and by word agreed in a conversation which took place in this capital with the President of the republic, his excellency Mr. Williamson, and the cabinet ministers; that is to say, salute the American flag.
• That, in reference to the letter of satisfaction to be addressed to the minister of the United States, the Honduras government has already expressed on distinct occasions the entire disapprobation and the profound sorrow for the conduct observed by the expeditionary forces at Omoa. That in the dispatches of the 24th November and 19th February, 1874, it has been so explained to his excellency Mr. Williamson, United States minister, but there is no difficulty in addressing another dispatch to the minister of the United States, repeating that the government of Honduras deplores and condemns the outrage committed on the American consulate at Omoa.
• That regarding the destitution of employment and military rank of the officer who commanded the forces of Honduras at Omoa, and to his inability to hold any office of honor, of confidence, or of profit under the government of Honduras, the government meets with constitutional inconveniences to accede to this part of the demand of the United States minister. The destitution or the privation of an occupation or title, whether civil or military, and the inability, temporal or absolute, to hold an appointment of honor, lucrative or of confidence, is a penalty that can only be imposed by the tribunals by law established, giving cause, and in virtue of a sentence pronounced. That these summarily-expressed reasons will be explained in exienso to the United States minister in the dispatch which has been alluded to.
• That the government of Honduras, in satisfaction to the Government of the United States for the outrage committed on the American consul at Omoa, will order a salute to be given to the flag of the United States in this capital, at 8 o’clock on the morning of the 23d instant, expressing the hope that the Government of the United States will find itself satisfied, and so conclude and terminate this disagreeable incident.
• The minister of the United States, after some discussion of the constitution and laws of Honduras, referred to by the minister of foreign affairs, stated that, on behalf of his Government, he was willing to accept the letter of apology and the salute to the flag of the United States, proposed to be made by the minister of Honduras, on Tuesday, the 23d instant, at 8 o’clock, in the plaza of the capital, Comayagua, in presence of the undersigned; and also the letter, expressing in details the constitutional and legal reasons why the third demand, relating particularly to the punishment of the officer in command at Omoa at the time the outrage was committed; with the understanding that, if said letter of explanation is satisfactory to the Government of the United States, that part of the demand will be considered as not having been made; and with the further understanding that, if the said letter of explanation is not satisfactory to the Government of the United States, then the government of Honduras pledges itself to exercise all of its influence and authority to have said part of said demand for satisfaction complied with as fully as possible, or to give such other satisfaction as the Government of the United States may, according to the laws of nations, demand, in lieu of the said punishment of the said officer who was in command at Omoa at the time of the outrage.
• His excellency Senor Zuniga, minister of foreign affairs of Honduras, replied: That he accepts the foregoing proposal of his excellency Mr. Williamson, minister of the United States, renewing his hope that the Government of the United States will feel satisfied, and so remains, concluded and terminated, this disagreeable incident.