Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1871
Mr. Torbert to Mr. Fish
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith translation copies (Nos. 1, 2, and 3) of communications just received from the minister of foreign affairs of Honduras.
It seems by No. 1 that the fears expressed in my State Department dispatch No. 35 have been already realized.
Also inclosed please find my dispatch (marked 4) to this government in regard to the attack on the railroad guards.
As yet there has been no formal declaration of war, although this government is ready and, I believe, disposed to invade Honduras, and only awaits the result of a conference of commissioners from the different Central American States, which meets at Amapala in a few days to try and arrange matters.
I inclose two newspapers of Honduras and one of Salvador, treating of the questions in dispute between the two states.
I am, &c.,
No. 1.
Sir: On the 21st instant, between the hours of 10 and 11 p. m., a Salvadorean force, commanded by Don Domingo Vasquez, has crossed the boundary line of the two republics, surprised and attacked, at a town of Honduras named Goascoran, a detachment of thirty men that were employed in guarding the works of the railway, and did not therefore belong to the regular forces of this government.
This manifest violation of the Honduras soil and the sudden and unexpected surprise of a small police force, without a declaration of war being previously made, but on the [Page 687] contrary, all hostilities being prohibited inasmuch as both Salvador and Honduras had accepted the mediations of Nicaragua and Guatemala to bring about a friendly settlement, clearly prove that Honduras is not the aggressor.
And when this government was relying on the assurance given me by you in the note of the 2d instant, “that the officers in command of the forces that are being organized in this republic have very strict orders not to commit nor permit to be committed any hostile act against that republic, and that my government has perfect confidence in the exact fulfillment of those orders,” the territory of Honduras is invaded and the invading force marches into the heart of the department of Choluteca.
The whole world will see, Mr. Minister, how well founded were the fears of aggression felt and expressed by the government of Honduras, as arising from the want of good faith on the part of the government of Salvador in the fulfillment of its obligations. My government thereupon reiterates its protest, and throws upon the government of Salvador all the responsibility for the consequences that may occur from the unjust war brought upon us by the latter.
After which, I have to declare to you, for the information of that supreme government, that the neutrality of the railroad route being guaranteed by the great powers, the United States of the North and Great Britain, not only against any interruption of the works, but also to secure the engineers and laborers, and to preserve all the interests applied to that undertaking, it is not allowed to the military forces of Salvador to trespass upon nor occupy any point on the line of the said railroad, from the town of Amapala to that of Puerto Cortes, without your government incurring the responsibility of the dispersion of the workmen and the consequent stoppage of the works, of the damages and injuries accruing to the engineers and their agents, and the detriments and losses that the undertaking may sustain.
And to avoid all pretexts for attack, occupation, or trespass of any nature upon any point of the railroad line, I have likewise to declare to you that requisite orders are given to the effect that the regular garrisons and the military detachments employed in guarding the works of the railroad from Amapala to Puerto Cortes be reduced to the ordinary number, and be solely charged with the duty of preserving order in the interior; and moreover, that the government of Honduras will not make use, as a base for military operations to repel the unjust aggression of the Salvador government, of any of the points on the line, and much less of those where the works are organized.
All of which I say to you by order of his Excellency the President of Honduras, for the information of his Excellency the President of Salvador, and have the honor of tendering to you my respects and considerations.
The Hon. Minister of Foreign Relations, Of the Government of the Republic of Salvador.
A true copy.
No. 2.
Sir: It is highly honorable, as well as satisfactory, to the undersigned minister of foreign relations of Honduras to address the very honorable minister resident of the United States at Salvador, for the purpose of tendering the thanks of his government for the noble and generous offer that he had the kindness to make in his esteemed note, dated the 18th instant, of his good offices whenever the authorities of Honduras may be in need of them, and of the laudable wishes he entertains for the prosperity and happiness of this country.
The undersigned begs leave to state to the very Honorable General Torbert that the government of Honduras accepts with pleasure his noble offer, and will make use of it upon all occasions.
The undersigned hopes that the very Honorable General Torbert will, in his turn, accept the tender of services which, in the name of the Honduras government, is herein made to him, as the worthy representative of the great American nation with whose Government that of Honduras is bound by the strongest sympathies of a most sincere friendship.
The undersigned avails himself of this occasion for tendering to the honorable minister resident of the United States at Salvador his respects and high considerations.
The Hon. Alfred T. A. Torbert, Minister Resident of the United States at Salvador.
No. 3.
Sir: The undersigned, minister of foreign relations of the government of Honduras, has the honor to acknowledge the reception of the dispatch which the honorable minister resident of the United States at Salvador was pleased to address him on the 18th instant, and at the same time takes the liberty to accompany herewith an authenticated copy of the communication written by him on this day to the department of foreign relations of that republic, making known to it that the military forces of Salvador are not to trespass upon, occupy, or attack any portion of the railroad line from Amapala to Puerto Cortes, the neutrality of said route being guaranteed by the great powers, the United States of North America, and Great Britain, and declaring that Honduras will not make use of any point thereof as a base for military operations.
The undersigned deems it expedient to call the Hon. Mr. Torbert’s attention to the sudden aggression by the Salvadorean forces who have invaded the Honduras territory, when this government expected that no act of hostility would be committed, as there had been no declaration of war, and the mediation of Nicaragua and Guatemala had been accepted.
It is possible that this government may have to call upon all the citizens of Honduras to take up arms for the defense of their country just unjustly attacked, and in that event be obliged to use the laborers employed upon the railway. All detriments that such an extreme measure may cause to the undertaking aforesaid must fall upon the Salvadorean government, who is the party responsible therefor, having undertaken, without the formalities prescribed by the international law positive of these states, an unjustifiable war against Honduras.
The undersigned communicates the above facts to the honorable minister resident of the United States at Salvador for his information, by order of his excellency the President of this republic, and in doing so has the honor of again tendering to him his respects and high considerations.
Hon. General Alfred T. A. Torbert, Minister Resident of the United States at Salvador.
No. 4.
Sir: I am in receipt of a communication dated February 25, from the minister of foreign relations for Honduras, complaining that the government of Salvador has not respected the neutrality of the railroad now under construction in that state, inasmuch as Don Domingo Varquez, in command of a Salvadorean force, on the 21st of February invaded Honduras, attacked and drove from the town of Goascoran, on the line of said railroad, a picket of thirty men who were stationed there solely to protect the engineers and workmen of said road from molestation in Honduras, and not to guard them against raids from Salvador, and that said picket was not a part of the regular forces of Honduras.
In view of these statements of the minister of Honduras and your letter of February 22 to me on the subject of the neutrality of the railroad, I hope you will favor me with an explanation of the attack of Sr. Varquez, and I am led to believe, from a conversation to-day with a member of the Salvadorean cabinet, that the responsibility of the first violation of the neutrality of the line of the said railroad will be thrown upon Honduras by the invasion of Salvador before the 20th of February by General Ochoa from Goascoran, on the line of said railroad.
But for the better information of my government it is necessary to have the explanation in writing.
Sincerely hoping that all difficulties may be avoided in regard to this neutrality, and ever praying for the peace and prosperity of Salvador, I remain, &c.,
His Excellency Sr. Dr. Don Gregorio Arbizu, Minister of Foreign Relations, &c., &c.