In my dispatch No. 34 I have entered so fully into this subject, and the
proces-verbal so fully discloses the reasons upon which I acted, together
with the names of the distinguished witnesses present, that it seems to be
unnecessary to say more at present. Whether the marriage is valid or not, I
can declare that I have not allowed myself to be made the instrument of
caprice, unless I have been grossly deceived by the legal opinion of a
distinguished lawyer of this republic. The ceremony, which took place at the
legation, was attended by the President, his premier or chief minister, Mr.
Samayoa, and minister of foreign affairs, as well as by the British minister
and French and Italian chargés d’affaires and other persons named in the
certificate or proces-verbal. I have returned a copy to this government,
handed an original to the bride, handed a copy to the bridegroom to be sent
to his government, send you one herewith, and have filed one in the
legation.
This important event of a civil marriage in Guatemala at this legation will,
I trust, prove a happy one to the bridal pair as well as the beginning of
more liberal legislation upon the subject of marriage than has heretofore
been existing in this country.
[Inclosure.]
United
States Legation in Central America,
Guatemala, October 4, 1873.
To all to whom these presents may come, greeting:
Be it known that, by virtue of a license granted by his native country,
Switzerland, to Guido Gruebler, esq., to have the act of marriage
between himself and Miss Elvira del Carmen Sauvat celebrated before a
consul of the United States, or by a minister resident or
plenipotentiary of the United States of America in Guatemala, and by
reason of the fact that the citizens of Switzerland in Guatemala are
under the protection of the American legation, and also by reason of the
fact that decree No. 105 of the government of Guatemala is construed by
the highest officials of the republic to authorize said marriage to be
performed by me, and, further, by reason of the fact that the parties
referred to in said act of marriage, after having been fully informed by
me of all objection that might be made to the validity of this said act,
still insist that it should be so celebrated, and furnish me with the
opinion of an eminent lawyer of Guatemala, Don Manuel Ramirez,
ex-minister of foreign affairs, that said act of marriage would be
legal, I proceeded, in the presence of Señor Don J. Rufino Barrios,
President of the republic of Guatemala, and in the presence of Don José
Maria Samayoa, minister of war and of the department of improvement, and
Señor Lic’do Don Marco A. Soto, minister of foreign affairs, and of Mr.
Edwin Corbett, minister resident of Her Britannic Majesty, and of Mr. J.
Tallien de Cabarrus, chargé d’affaires of France, and of the Duke de
Licignano, chargé d’affaires of Italy, and of Mr. Frederick C. Augener,
consul of the German Empire, and of Henry Houben, esq., consul of the
United States of America, and of Mr. John Morrell, a citizen of the
United States, and other persons then present, those specially named
herein subscribing their names hereto with me and the said Guido
Gruebler, esq., and said Miss Elvira del Carmen Sauvat, to celebrate the
act of marriage between said Guido Gruebler, aged 31 years, born the
20th of November, 1842, in St. Gallien Canton, in Switzerland, and said
Miss Elvira del Carmen Sauvat, aged [Page 107] 22 years, born in the city of Santiago, Chili, in
the month of August, 24th, 1851, both, now residing in the city of
Guatemala, in accordance with the forms and rites of the Episcopal
Church of the United States, at the legation of the United States in the
city of Guatemala, and republic of Guatemala, on the 4th day of October,
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three,
and Independence of the United States the ninety-seventh.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature and seal to
three (3) certificates.
ELVIRA SAUVAT.
GUIDO
GRUEBLER.
Attest:
J. Rufino Barrios.
J. Ma. Samayoa.
Marco A. Soto.
Edwin Corbett.
J. Tallien de
Cabarrus.
G.
Anfora Licignano.
Fred. C. Augener.
Henry Houben.
Jno. Morrell.
[
seal.]
GEO. WILLIAMSON,
Minister Resident of United States to Central
America.
