court, in his communication of the 15th of last April, the impossibility of acceding to the pretensions of Nicaragua. With regard to the treaty of Washington of the 19th of April, upon which I am told your government relies with undue confidence, that treaty recognizes distinctly, contrary to the interpretation evidently put upon it by Nicaragua, the existence of the Mosquito coast, setting thus aside all rights to the sovereignty of that country with. which Nicaragua imagines herself to be invested. The true policy for Nicaragua to pursue is to undeceive herself in regard to her pretensions to the Mosquito country, and to be more cautious how she listens to protestations and assurances on the part of pretended friends. Nicaragua would do well to come to an understanding, without delay, with Great Britain, upon whose relations depend not only the commerce and welfare of the State, but the probability of any positive measures being adopted for establishing an interoceanic communication across her territory, since London is the only place where sufficient capital and spirit of enterprise can be found for carrying out a project of such magnitude. In conclusion, I beg to repeat, what I have frequently before stated, that her Britannic Majesty's government is actuated by the best wishes to serve Nicaragua, and to aid her in acquiring a proper position in the family of independent nations. I have the honor, &c., RICK FREDERICK CHATFIELD. The MINISTER OF FOREIGN RELATIONS The manner in which the British vice-consul, Mr. John Foster, addressed himself to this government in the name of Messrs. Beschor & Company, taking the existence of a Mosquito kingdom for granted, called forth the replies of the 19th and 20th of July, to which you refer in your note of the 16th of last month, which I am instructed to answer as follows. I must assure you that it was never contemplated by my government to say anything offensive to the dignity of that of her Britannic Majesty, and that the language or sentiments to which allusion is made in your note must be understood as applying solely to what concerns the vindication of the rights of Nicaragua; and you must feel assured that, if we could be biassed by the ancientness of the relations that have existed between British subjects and the sons of Nicaragua, by the identity of those principles of civilization which prevail in both countries, by the interest which England has manifested in all that relates to American independence, and the freedom of the commerce of the world, upon which the best hopes of Nicaragua depend; if, I say again, we could be biassed by these pre-existing circumstances, Great Britain and this same State would be united in bonds of the most perfect harmony; but you will also permit me to say, that if these pre-existing auspicious relations have been neutralized by circumstances which are driving us to the painful extremes of hostility, it is all owing to a hypothetical expression-a word, and that word is, the kingdom of Mosquito. My government being free from those pernicious influences which you suppose it to be actuated by, and relying upon the justice of the cause of Nicaragua, even though the Washington treaty of the 19th of last April were not in existence, is determined to maintain it, without, however, ceasing to hope that the obstacles which have endangered the present temporary disagreement between Great Britain and Nicaragua will be promptly and happily smoothed away. This favorable disposition on the part of my government will convince you how much it values the generous sentiments which, you assure me, the government of Great Britain entertains towards Nicaragua. Be pleased, in the meanwhile, to accept the assurances of respect and esteem with which I am your obedient servant, Mr. FREDERICK CHATFIELD, S. SALINAS. True copy: [SEAL.] LEON, September 28, 1850. S. SALINAS. [Translation of Translation.] LEGATION OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY, SIR: I have received a communication from Mr. Vice Consul Foster, dated the 12th of last month, with an enclosed copy of a note which you addressed him on the 2d of the same month, in your capacity of minister of foreign relations for the government of Nicaragua, relative to certain custom-house regulations now in force at Greytown, (San Juan.) It is much to be regretted that the minister of Nicaragua should, in his allusions to the government of her Britannic Majesty, make use of offensive and unmerited language, since it would be more proper for Nicaragua, instead of accusing Great Britain of injustice and usur pation, to consider calmly the arguments and proofs which have been addressed by her Majesty's government to Don Francisco Castellon and Señor Marcoleta, the diplomatic agents of the government of that State in London, in refusing to acknowledge the right of sovereignty over the Mosquito territory which Nicaragua alleges to belong to her. The government of her Majesty the queen has already shown that it is fully justified in maintaining the independence of Mosquito, and although it has been asserted by Nicaragua that it is only lately, and since the independence of Nicaragua, that Great Britain has thought of upholding the rights of the Mosquitos, the fact is, that Great Britain has never ceased to maintain the rights of the king of that coast, and to afford him protection, since the reign of Charles II of England, two hundred years ago. As the minister of Nicaragua quotes the 4th article of the convention concluded between Captain Lock and the government of Nicaragua on the 7th of March, 1848, it is proper to observe that her Majesty's government has called the attention of Mr. Marcoleta to the 3d and 4th articles of said convention, complaining of the violation of the same on the part of Nicaragua. In those articles Nicaragua promises solemnly not to disturb the peaceful inhabitants of the port of San Juan, now called Greytown, and that no custom-house should be established in the neighborhood of that port; and while the government of Nicaragua was proposing to carry into effect a certain negotiation, in conformity with the convention mentioned above, that same government entered into a contract with various companies composed of citizens of the United States, not only binding them to build a custom-house in Greytown, but even offering to make that place a free port, and to divide a certain portion of the lands adjoining among citizens of the United States for purposes of colonization. These proceedings in regard to Greytown and the Mosquito territory are by no means in accordance with the obligations which the government of Nicaragua has contracted with the government of her Britannic Majesty. With regard to the accusation which the minister of Nicaragua has brought against the custom-house officers of Greytown, charging them with scandalous depredations" upon merchants of Nicaragua, I must remind the minister of Nicaragua that, by his own confession, the agent of Mr. Carcache had failed to comply with the regulations of the port in regard to custom-house duties, and I can assure him that it is only those persons who seek to evade the law that are exposed to the annoyances alluded to by him. If the government of Nicaragua, consulting the interests of its own commerce and revenue, had listened to my overtures, the object of which was to promote an amicable understanding about the pending questions, no difficulties would now exist. I am well aware that Nicaragua has allowed herself to be carried away by false promises and vain hopes of assistance and support against England, relative to the Mosquito question; but these hopes could no longer have been entertained by persons of sound judgment, after the settling and signing of the treaty of Washington, to which France has acceded. This treaty is an unquestionable authority upon this point, and so far from favoring the views of Nicaragua, said treaty declares that North America recognizes the existence of Mosquito, acknowledging it to be as perfectly distinct a State or country, with respect to Nicaragua, as Costa Rica or any other portion of Central America. I have thus had the honor of replying to the note which the government of Nicaragua has thought proper to address, through you, to the British vice consul, on the 2d of last August; there only remaining for me to reiterate, in conclusion, the good wishes and friendly feelings by which I am actuated in endeavoring, in the name of her Britannic Majesty's government, to effect an amicable arrangement with the government of Nicaragua, which may be the means of establishing the relations of the two countries upon a solid and satisfactory foundation. I have the honor, &c., FREDERICK CHATFIELD. DON SEBASTIAN SALINAS, Minister of Foreign Relations for the government of Nicaragua, Leon. True copy: [L. S.] [Translation.] LEON, September 28, 1850. SALINAS. GOVERNMENT HOUSE," Having acquainted the supreme director of this State with the contents of your note of the 2d inst., in which notice is taken of that which I addressed to Mr. Vice Consul Don Juan Foster, on the 2d of last August, relative to certain custom-house regulations now in force in the port of San Juan de Nicaragua, that high functionary has directed me to say to you in reply: That this government, in claiming what is due to the State, and in defending the rights of the same, as it is bound in duty to do, from the territorial usurpations, the injuries, and vexations which have been inflicted, and are still being inflicted upon us by British agents and British subjects, had not, and never can have any intention of infringing upon those considerations of respect which are due to all governments; and that whatever may be the spirit of the treaty of the 19th of April of the present year, between the United States and England, it cannot have deprived Nicaragua of her unquestionable rights over the Territory called Mosquito and the port of San Juan, because the State does not allow the justice of its cause to depend upon that convention, which simply recognizes the same and no more, being satisfied with the fundamental principles so frequently asserted in its favor; which principles, in proportion as they received the support and approbation of impartial nations, they became obnoxious to her Britannic Majesty's government and its agents, neither of whom would examine them with that calmness of temper which reason requires, and which Nicaragua could H have wished, out of regard for those friendly relations and good understanding which she is anxious to cultivate and to maintain in her intercourse with the cabinet of St. James. With regard to the negotiations which you say you are disposed to forward, my government shall always be found ready to act with the utmost deference in the matter, whenever the government of her Britannic Majesty shall have recognized the rights of Nicaragua to the Mosquito Territory, and that the port of San Juan, which has been occupied since the 1st of January, 1848, shall have been vacated. I have the honor to renew to you my expressions of regard, and to remain your obedient humble servant, Mr. FREDERICK CHATFIELD, Consul General of her Britannic Majesty in Central America, and Chargé d'Affaires S. SALINAS. near the governments of Guatemala and Costa Rica. True copy: [L. S.] [Translation.] LEON, September 28, 1850. SALINAS. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua to the Secretary of State of the United States. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, Leon, November 13, 1850. On the 10th of September of the present year, a dispatch was addressed to your excellency, by which this government, in reply to your excellency's communication of the 17th of June, states that the intentions of your government in favor of the independence and sovereignty of Nicaragua, declared in its treaty of the 19th of April last, concluded with England, have been set at naught by the latter's insisting on the armed protectorate of the unrecognized Mosquito nation and its fictitious king-seeing that at the date of the aforesaid reply there had already been introduced in the port of San Juan del Norte an armed force, belonging to the service of her Britannic Majesty; and there was continued the usurpation of this, the most precious part of the territory of this State, and the most important to the world for carrying out the great undertaking of the interoceanic communication, contracted for on the 27th of August, 1849, with the Atlantic-Pacific Canal Company of the United States. But if, up to the date above mentioned, any doubt could have been entertained as to the views of the English government, it is now evident that those views are directed towards re-establishing the same order of things which existed previous to the aforesaid treaty-the same Mosquito nation, the same savage king, and the same armed protection of her Britannic Majesty. |