Mr. Fish to Mr. Riotte
Sir: Your dispatch No. 88, of the 3d ultimo, has been received. The Department learns from it, with regret, of the determination of the President of Nicaragua to insist upon a stipulation providing for injuries claimed by citizens of that republic to have been sustained by the burning of Granada and the bombardment of Greytown, in any convention [Page 684] upon the subject of claims. As it must be known that no such stipulation is admissible on our part, the decision of that government may be regarded as a denial of justice to such of our citizens as have suffered from acts of authorities of Nicaragua. No officer of the United States has, it is believed, been charged with participation in the burning of Granada, and we are not aware that it is pretended that that act was incited or has ever been sanctioned by this Government. If persons claiming to be citizens of the United States were implicated, they were liable to punishment according to the laws of Nicaragua, but it seems frivolous to assert that this government is in any way accountable for their deeds.
This government has made no reparation for the loss of property by the bombardment of Greytown. Citizens of the United States were probably proprietors there of far greater values than citizens of Nicaragua. Subjects of several principal European governments were also losers by the bombardment to large amounts. Application in their behalf for indemnification have uniformly been refused. The bombardment was justifiable and necessary. The persons claiming to be in authority there are alone to blame for it, and the sufferers should only deprecate their misfortune in having confided the safety of their property to such characters.
You intimate that the government of Nicaragua purposes on these points to appeal directly to this government. Such an appeal, however, while the United States have a minister accredited to them, would be irregular and even disrespectful. It could not be expected to change the result, and its only apparent object would be further to protract a negotiation which has already been kept too long in suspense for the good of the relations between the two republics.
I am, &c.,
P. S.—You may read this instruction to the minister for foreign affairs of Nicaragua, and, if requested, leave a copy with him.