what is proper to be done in the premises; although, by virtue of the convention agreed upon by both of them, which, with the advice of the council of State, has been approved by the President, the island del Tigre has formally been placed under the care of the government of the north. In announcing the fact to the commandant of the island that he was going to take possession of it, the captain of the Gorgon remarked that he left it to the government of her Britannic Majesty to adopt further measures in the matter; which is to say, that even if the pretensions of the consul were satisfied, it would be necessary to wait for the adoption of such

measures.

In

In a note, dated the 15th of last June, it was proposed to this commercial agent that, notwithstanding the sufficiently conclusive reasons which had long before been given to show that the claims which he had presented in behalf of British subjects were not founded on plausible grounds, the President was desirous that he would name some person with whom the question might be definitely settled in a verbal and friendly manner. spite of this proposition, which was both reasonable and just, unless it had been intended to find pretexts for aggression, usurpation, and insult, the result produced was an ostentatious display of power on his part, while trampling upon the sacred and unquestionable rights of a free people, and taking advantage of our weak condition and want of resources to combat face to face the forces of the tyrant of the seas.

Hondurians! Notwithstanding our want of means to make an advantageous resistance in defence of the integrity of our territory and the dignity of our governors, we ought not to submit to the unjust treatment under which we are now suffering, for the flag of the stars will wave in our seas for the purpose of assisting us in vindicating our rights and in preserving us from fresh insults. Yes! this glorious flag, sustained as it is by an im mense power, is that which, by virtue of solemn and binding compromises, is destined to afford us, by every combination of means, that security which we have not at this day, and which has been generously promised to us. To that flag we are bound by identity of principles and the fact of our being children of the same continent. Let us, then, trust in its resources and the ties which connect our interests. Long life to repub lican governments! Long life to the enlightened descendants of the immortal Washington!

J. MARIA MONCADA.

GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONDURAS,

Tegucigalpa, October 21, 1849.

No. 4.
[Trans'ation]

GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF HONDURAS.

The President has been pleased to direct me the following decree: The President, in whom the executive power of the State of Honduras is vested, having considered, firstly, that the defence of the territory of the State constitutes one of his principal duties, such being the require

ment of the constitution and the laws; secondly, that he is in the same manner strictly bound to protect, at all peril, the persons, interests, and other rights of the citizens of Honduras, to effect which he may even resort to arms; thirdly, that the occupancy of the island of Amapala by British troops, under the specious pretext of unjust and imaginary debts, is an act of hostility towards the State; and that, if the government were not to adopt measures tending to the security of said State, the legislative power, and the whole people of Honduras, would hold it responsible for the omission, he has thought proper to decree, and he decrees:

ARTICLE 1. All citizeus and inhabitants of the State are prohibited from having any intercourse with the aforesaid island, or any other point which has lately been usurped by the English, whether on the coasts of the Pacific or on the coasts of the Caribbean sea. Whoever shall do contrary to this, will be declared a traitor, an enemy to the independence of his country, and as such he will be punished according to law.

ART. 2. All persons, whether citizens or inhabitants of those localities which at the present date are invaded by British troops, shall concentrate themselves within the limits of the State, in the course of one noth after the publication of this decree, in the villages most near the places specified above; and both these, as well as those residing in the interior, shall likewise withdraw their respective properties and bring the same into the State or elsewhere; but, after the termination of the period abovementioned, all persons and properties, as aforesaid, shall be considered beyond the protection of the law, unless they can produce satisfactory evidence of having been physically unable to comply with the require ments of the present article within the period of time specified.

ART. 3. All goods, of whatever class or degree, which may touch at Amapala or any other point occupied by the enemies of our independence, shall be considered by the State in the light of contraband or illicit traffic; and, consequently, the same shall be confiscated by the authorities, or by any private citizen, the captor appropriating such goods to himself, in case there should be no constituted authority on the spot.

ART. 4. And, in consideration of the fact that, on the day of the 20th instant, English troops landed at Amapala and disarmed a guard of wur soldiers, with their commander that was stationed there, establishing their own authority-from which it is to be inferred that the same thing may be done with the frontier villages-in order to prevent such attacks, which would imminently endanger the safety of the State, it is ordered that a force adequate to the protection of said troutier be raised, and the commanding officer on the line, the well beloved General Don Santos Guardiola, is authorized to take charge of the same for the defence of the southern coast.

The minister for general affairs will attend to this, and cause the same to be printed, published, and circulated.

Given at Tegucigalpa on the 28th of October, 1849.

To DON JOSE MARIA RUGAMA.

Let this be printed, published, and circulated.

TEGUCIGALPA, October 28, 1849.

JUAN LINDO.

RUGAMA.

Mr. Squier to Mr. Clayton.

[Extract.]

[No. 10.]

LEGATION U. S. IN CENTRAL AMERICA,

Leon de Nicaragua, November 9, 1849.

SIR: Since the closing of my No. 9 I have received the accompanying letter (A) from the commissioner of Honduras to this legation, by which it will be seen that the republic of Honduras has already concentrated a consider. able force on the shores of the Gulf of Fonseca. They are reported at 800 men, under command of General Guardiola, doubtless the ablest general in Central America. There are also several reserved corps a little distance in the interior. Probably the whole number of men under arms is from 1,500 to 2,000, and augmenting daily. The documents referred to in this letter had previously been sent to me direct from Honduras, and accompanying my previous despatch. I at once addressed a reply to this letter (B) advising against any offensive proceedings; but I am somewhat apprehensive, such is the prevalent indignation in consequence of the proceedings of the English, that there may be a collision.

A..

LEGATION OF HONDURAS NEAR LEGATION U. S. IN CENTRAL

AMERICA, Leon, November 6, 1849.

SIR: I have the honor to enclose you a copy of the decree issued on the 9th of October, by the government of Honduras, respecting the island of Tigre, which I have already sent you in MS.; also a copy of a de. cree prohibiting all the citizens and inhabitants of Honduras from having any intercourse with the island of Tigre, or any other point which has or may be occupied by the English on the Pacific coast, as well as that of the sea of the Antilles; also a manifesto of the Minister of General Re lations of the republic, dated the 21st ultimo, relative to the transactions of the island of Tigre and the port of Truxillo.

The government of Honduras has resolved to use every means to sustain its dignity, and adopt whatever measures that may be necessary to carry out the stipulations which have been made respecting the cession of the island of Tigre to the United States. To this end General Guardiola is now in the town of Choluteca, at the head of a division of the forces of the State, and is ready to pass to the island of Tigre and tear down the flag of England, and raise that of the United States, as a sign of possession, if you so desire; but it is nevertheless proper to add that the government of Honduras has no naval force to co-operate with her land forces in these proceedings, or in sustaining them ultimately. In its proceedings in this particular affair, it is the desire of the government of Hondu ras to wholly conform to the measures which you have initiated with the British agent in the Gulf of Fonseca; and I hope you will be kind enough

to communicate your resolutions to me, that I may give an account of the same to my government.

I have the honor, &c., &c.,

Hon. E. GEO. SQUIER, &c., &c.

JOSÉ GUERRERO.

B.

LEGATION U. S. IN CENTRAL AMERICA,

Leon de Nicaragua, November 7, 1849.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your note of the 6th instant, with its enclosures, exhibiting the measures which the government of Honduras has deemed it proper to take for vindicating its honor and the integrity of its territory. Against all unjustifiable assaults upon either, it may always be assured of the sympathy of the United States. I may say this with propriety, and without attempting to indicate the measures which my government may deem proper to adopt in consequence of recent events.

In respect to the island of Tigre, while highly appreciating the disposition of the government of Honduras, and its prompt adoption of measures towards carrying into effect its stipulations with the United States, I would nevertheless suggest the propriety of omitting any proceeding which might bring on a collision with the British forces now in the Gulf of Fonseca. A correspondence is pending with the British chargé d'affaires, under whose direction the occupation of the Tigre and other islands of the gulf seems to have been made, in respect to these proceedings, of the results of which I shall keep the government of Honduras fully advised. I am, sir, with high consideration, your obedient servant,

To His Excellency J. GUERRERO, &c., &c.

Mr. Squier to Mr. Clayton.

E. GEO. SQUIER.

[Extracts.]

[No. 13.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Leon de Nicaragua, December 13, 1849. SIR: I take advantage of an unexpected opportunity of forwarding my communications direct to Chagres, by a safe hand, to inform the department of the present condition of affairs in this quarter. Since my last despatch they have changed, in many respects, for the better, but are still not without their difficulties, nor are they wholly satisfactory. In order to give a clear comprehension of them, and to avoid confusion, I will speak of the relations of each State separately, reserving all general observations for the close of my letter.

San Salvador.-By the printed letters enclosed with my previous despatch, the department was informed of the position assumed by the British consul general towards this State. A peremptory demand was

made upon the government, which was not, however, complied with. Thereupon the accompanying letter (A) was addressed by Mr. Chatfield to the government, announcing the institution of a blockade before the ports of San Salvador, and the seizure of the islands in the Gulf of Fonseca pertaining to that State, "without prejudice, however, to whatever coercive measures additional" which it might be thought proper to adopt. These proceedings gave rise to the report communicated in my previous letters, that the coasts, as well as the islands of Salvador, had been seized upon. I have reason to believe that such a step was at one time meditated; at any rate it was verbally threatened, together with a multitude of other evils likely to intimidate the government.

.

Subsequently a commission, composed of Señors Montoya and Alvarado, was appointed to effect an arrangement with Mr. Chatfield. A copy of the instructions with which they were furnished has been communicated to me by Mr. Morales, the Salvadorean commissioner here, which I append, without having time to make a translation, (B.) It will be observed that they were instructed to accede to all recognised demands, and to propose the reference of all disputed claims to arbitrators composed of the Freuch or American chargés d'affaires, or both jointly, but on the peremptory condition that all offensive proceedings should cease, and that the islands seized upon should be unconditionally released. The commissioners, after consultation with Mr. Chatfield, consented to an arrangement recognising the undisputed British claims, and reserving all others for settlement hereafter, but binding the State, in violation of their instructions, to make no disposition of the islands involved in the question. I enclose a copy of this agreement, (C.) This last condition at first glance does not appear very oppressive; its design is, however, obvious, as it gives Great Britain the right of indefinite interference, by protracting her disputes with the future relations of San Salvador, either in opposition to the proposed canal, or in such manner as her interests or caprice shall dictate. It is proper to observe that this arrangement is ineffective unless it receives the sanction of the Executive and Congress of San Salvador. But Mr. Chatfield well knew that its reception or rejection would lead to discussions and divisions which could not but be favorable to his objects. Public feeling is almost unanimous against the arrangement, or surrender, and the commissioners are overwhelmed with the popular indignation. I enclose an extract from a private letter from the President of San Salvador to its commissioner here upon this point, which may be taken as a fair index of popular feeling in that State, (D.) It will be seen that he condemns, in the strongest terms, the conduct of the commissioners. He also intimates, in another paragraph, that there is reason to believe that one or both were imposed upon, or tampered with, in a manner as little creditable to their judgment and integrity as to the honor and dignity of the consul general. I have no doubt that the arrangement, if not thrust aside by the government, will be rejected by the Congress.

As a slight indication of the system of tactics pursued by British agents in Central America, I append a translated copy (E) of a communication from the above-named commissioners to the government of Honduras, setting forth the reasons which influenced their conduct.

I beg to call special attention to the concluding portions of the letter last referred to for an indication of the real designs of the English official