Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1904
Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay.
Santo Domingo City, D. R., December 15, 1903.
Sir: I have the honor to submit to the Department correspondence that this legation has had with the present Government on the subject of recognition.
I have the honor also to state that a member of the Government desired to know if my Government would lend them, or advance to them,-money. I have informed them that my Government could not advance any money for any purpose without the consent of Congress; that no money could be taken from the Treasury of the country without the sanction of Congress, and that it would be useless to make an appeal of this character to President Roosevelt or to the Hon. John Hay.
I have, etc.,
Mr. Alfau to Mr. Powell.
Department of Foreign Relations,
Santo Domingo, December 4, 1903.
Hon. W. F. Powell: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the attentive note of your excellency, dated the 3d instant, by which you submit to my consideration two points, which answer I reserve until all the members of the provisional executive have announced their arrival in this city; that will be very soon.
[Page 263]As soon as their arrival is effected and the Government will be in a majority, I will have great satisfaction in submitting with preference to all other questions the points submited by your excellency in the note that I have the honor to answer.
Please accept, etc.,
Mr. Powell to Mr. Machado.
Santo Domingo City, D. R., December 9, 1903.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of December 7, informing me that General Morales had appointed you to take charge of the department of foreign relations.
Permit me to inform your excellency that while I have the honor to acknowledge your excellency’s communication, my Government has not as yet recognized the existence of the present government and can not do so until an answer has been returned to my communication of December 3, upon the receipt of which I will inform my Government.
I remain, etc.,
Mr. Machado to Mr. Powell.
Department of Foreign Relations,
Santo Domingo, December 12, 1903.
Mr. Chargé d’affaires: Referring to the attentive communication of your excellency of the 9th of this month, I have the honor to solicit from your excellency’s courtesy kindly to determine the contracts or agreements previously entered into with the United States Government and which your excellency demands to be accepted by the present provisional government of the Dominican Republic.
As soon as the government of which I am a member shall know from your excellency which are these contracts, the government will try within the limits of its means and faculties to settle in the most satisfactory way possible for the good understanding which should exist in the relations of both governments, which relations the Dominican Government is very much interested to uphold in the best of terms.
I beg to renew, etc.,
Mr. Powell to Mr. Machado.
Santo Domingo City, D. R., December 12, 1903.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of December 12, 1903, in which your excellency requests that I would name the agreements to which I have requested your excellency’s Government’s assent prior to the recognition of the present provisional government, and that your excellency’s Government shall consider that these matters are finally and fixedly adjusted and are not to be reopened.
In reply to your excellency’s request I have the honor to state: The matters or agreements to which I have referred in a previous communication to your excellency’s office are as follows:
- First. That your excellency’s Government considers as closed and finally adjusted the provisions of the protocol of January 31, 1903, as made by Gen. J. F, Sanchez, minister of foreign relations, and this legation in the adjustment [Page 264] of the existing differences between the Dominican Government and the Santo Domingo Improvement Company.
- Second. That your excellency’s Government accepts as settled the claim of Mr. Salvador Ros and others against the Dominican Government regarding certain concessions held by them in the port of San Pedro de Macoris.
- Third. That your excellency’s Government accepts as settled the provisions of the agreement of the claim of Juan Sala & Co., our citizen, against the Dominican Government.
- Fourth. That your excellency’s Government accepts the provisions as agreed upon by Gen. Juan F. Sanchez and this legation regarding the concession of Messrs. W. P. Clyde & Co. to operate a steamship line between the ports of this Republic and the ports of the United States of America.
The above are the points that I desire to hear from your excellency upon.
I beg, etc.,
Mr. Machaclo to Mr. Powell.
Department of Foreign Relations,
Santo Domingo, December 14, 1903.
Mr. Chargé d’affaires: It is gratifying to me to inform your excellency that, the matter of recognition of the provisional government being important as well as the acceptance of the agreements entered into by former administrations to which reference is made by your excellency in to-day’s dispatch, the Provisional Government has resolved to prove once more the interest it has to uphold on the best footing the friendly relations with the United States of America and to admit within its judicial capacity as a government de facto the following instruments of agreement:
- 1.
- The protocol signed on January 31, 1903, which settles the claim of the Improvement Company and its allies;
- 2.
- The protocol signed on March 2, 1903, which settles the claim known as the Ros concessions and its rights as concessionee of the wharf and harbor of San Pedro de Macoris;
- 3.
- The protocol signed on the 2d of March, 1903, which is the claim known as the Clyde case and its rights as concessionists for the service of navigation to the ports of Santo Domingo; and
- 4.
- The protocol signed in April, 1902, which settles the claim known as J. Sala & Co.
The Dominican Government hopes that in view of the difficult economic situation through which the Government is now passing, it will be granted indispensable facilities for the execution of such clauses of the recognized agreements which imply payment of amounts not satisfied and to be satisfied, and entertaining such hope the Government depends on the spirit of cordiality and justice of which your excellency has so frequently given proofs in your official relations with the Dominican Government.
I beg to renew, etc.,
Mr. Powell to Mr. Machado.
Santo Domingo City, D. R., December 15, 1903.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s favor of to-day’s date, informing me that your excellency’s Government accepts as finally settled and not to be reopened the following agreements made with previous administrations, viz:
- First. The protocol signed January 31, 1903, regarding the existing differences between the Dominican Government and the Santo Domingo Improvement Company.
- Second. The agreement entered into in the Sala & Co. claim.
- Third. The agreement made in the Ros case in regard to certain rights be received from the Dominican Government for wharf privileges, and certain sums of money due by the Dominican Government to him.
- Fourth. The agreement made that the Dominican Government shall respect and carry into execution in all its parts in accordance with the terms stated in the said agreement regarding the concession of Messrs. W. P. Clyde & Co. for a line of steamers between the ports of this Republic and those of the United States of North America.
In reply I have the honor to state that I will at the earliest opportunity communicate your answer to my Government, and will inform you as soon as I receive a reply. Your excellency’s answer has been delayed so long, and other events have occurred since my propositions were made to your excellency’s office, that a reply may be somewhat delayed.
I have also to remind your excellency that my propositions, that I would not make a demand for money on any of the claims above named, is limited to the establishment of a constitutional government, and supposing that said government shall enter upon the functions of office February 27, 1904; if delayed longer than this period it is hereby understood that I am not bound to any extension of time beyond the said date (February 27).
I have, etc.,