to outrageous threats, and of sacrificing its rights and dignity, or to assume such an attitude of resistance as would justify the adoption of hostile measnres, and the infliction of serious evils and endless vexations, which might be continued as long as it would gratify an old party resentment to protract. In this may be clearly seen the hand of the dominant faction in Guatemala acting in combination with the British onsul, and taking advantage of the influence and sympathies of a political party to which the consul has always been united, and seeking for an occasion to gratify their joint hatred and ancient prejudices against the free States of Central America, by combining to deal a decisive blow against the State of Salvador, in order to pave the way to absolute dominion over the whole of Central America. It is, therefore, a pretext, however trifling in its character, that was wanting to carry into effect this aggressive combination of a foreign power with the forces under the control of the predominant party in Guatemala, and thus to annihilate the liberties of the country, and entail upon it their own exclusive dominion.

So blindly was the engagement made to carry into effect this agreement of a double attack and aggressive demonstration against Salvador, that the rupture, which the contemptuous and discourteous manner in which the note was returned occasioned, was planned without the least reflection or intervention of the most common diplomatic forms, and with scarcely a thought of the inevitable refusal that would be given to conditions so humiliating, and which had been so designedly, and with such hostility of purpose, imposed upon the government.

As soon as the note from the consulate was received, a reply was sent, which was returned to Mr. Idigoras, who had been the medium of conveying the first. Mr. Idigoras brought it back, saying that he did se at the request of Mr. Chatfield, who insisted upon being addressed as chargé d'affaires, and not simply as consul. The superscription was changed at the department, and the following was substituted: To her Britannic Majesty's consul in Central America, and chargé d'affaires near the goo ernment of Guatemala. But as Mr. Idigoras remarked that the courier who had brought the note had been sent off, the minister transmitted it by an extraordinary express, directing the postmaster of Guatemala to place it into the consul's hands. The latter returned it, saying that he would not receive it because it had trot been forwarded to him through Mr. Idigoras, English vice consul in this State. [Document No. 1.]

In this we see the frivolity of the pretext, the motive for compelling the adoption of a capricious and unusual mode of conveyance, and a desire to gratify, before everything else, the vain pretensions of a Salvadorean citizen for having suffered himself to be converted into an employé of England; making these small matters a paramount consideration, in pref erence of the important object of preserving friendly relations between the wo nations, and of preventing a rupture, which must always be fatal the interests of this country and to the honor of Great Britain, whom consul represents as filled with wrath, and in an attitude of hostility agast a weak and peaceful government, merely to amuse himself-gratifying his rancor by the ruin of a defenceless people.

th

The government of Salvador has already sufficiently explained the rea ons wily cannot allow the English consul the privilege of imposing un it a function of his own, and much less to place a wayward sub

ject beyond the pale of its authority, by forcible means, for the purpose of investing him with the attributes of a public character, and of putting him in a position to commit, with impunity, any outrage he may please against the government of the State. To persist in these pretensions, and, for the sake of such, to break out into hostilities against a just and peaceful government, which is simply defending its rights and the dignity of its country, is to show to the world that the paths of justice have been entirely forsaken, and even the desire to stand well in the estimation of civilized men disregarded. If there be an opinion on earth; if a solitary jurist can be found who denies to the sovereignty of an independent country the right of refusing to admit any foreign functionary, no matter of what grade or condition, let it be shown, and that alone will suffice to make us acquiesce in these extravagant pretensions, and settle the question.

Nor has the government been able to approve of the other articles comprised in the convention, which was concluded in the Union on the 12th of November last; and its note and decree of the 13th of April of the present year, (documents 2 and 3,) which have been communicated to the consul, explain the very just and potent reasons it had for witholding its approbation.

States of Central America-People of Salvador!

You behold the position in which this government finds itself; you see the designed attacks of the consul, in conjunction with the ever hostile power of Guatemala, for the purpose of carrying on an unjust war-a war founded only in vain pretexts against the State which now finds itself at the head of the Central American Union-the object of their hatred and common aversion. Our cause is the cause of honor-our aim, the vindication of the rights of the American people. You behold me reduced to the necessity of defending your territory, and even your exist ence of protecting the liberties both of yourselves and children. I will maintain them at the cost of my life. Notwithstanding the wonted excesses of the consul, I have more than once adopted means which I believed to be both prudent and conciliatory, for the sake of effecting an honorable arrangement, which should be at once reasonable and just; but this cause has had no other effect than to bring upon Salvador fresh outrages, new acts of humiliation and aggression, purposely intended to be committed during the season of our holidays, and thereby occasion greater evils and injuries to the State, as we have seen during a period of three consecutive years. The time has arrived for us to ascertain, before the world, the position which we are to occupy; and to know, finally, whether our efforts and our sacrifices have all been, and still are, in vain in regard to ourselves-in regard to this great and heroic people; if independence is a truth or an illusion; whether the consoling hope of a common country, which would become the glory of her children, has vanished before he violent blast of a faction leagued with foreigners. I am sure that every Svadorean, every true Central American, must feel his heart ache at the thoug och outrages inflicted upon his country.

People of Central America! have deemed it my duty to make known to you the course I have pursued regard to our relations with the Brit

ish consul, and to show you that it could not have been more prudent and accommodating without compromising the dignity of the government. Should that course meet with your approbation, it will afford me great satisfaction.

SAN SALVADOR, September 3, 1850.

DOROTEO VASCONZELOS.

[Translation of translation.]

LEGATION OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY,

Guatemala, August 6, 1850.

SIR: On my is city I received despatches from Rear Admiral Hornby, commander in f of her Britannic Majesty's naval forces in the Pacific, informing me of the disagreeable results of his visit to the coast of Salvador, and of his intention to send me, in the month of September, or before, if I thought it proper, some vessels of war to be placed under my control and discretion, with a view of obtaining due satisfac tion for the many insults offered by the government of Salvador to the government of her Britannic Majesty, to her officers, and to the British public. It is useless to particularize the deliberate insults and injuries which, for a number of years, the authorities of Salvador have inflicted upon Great Britain, through the medium of official acts, decrees, cor respondence, and newspapers. These insults, and these injuries, are a matter of public notoriety-so much so, that in many parts of the country they are a just cause of astonishment to the community.

It is well known that the government of Salvador and its partisans have no just cause of complaint against England, and that this offensive system has been adopted in order to subserve their own political ends.

A revolutionary faction has existed for a long time in Central America, whose every effort has been directed towards manufacturing public senti ment favorable to itself-setting afloat, in fact, the falsest and most absurd impressions in regard to the conduct of Great Britain, as a great monarchical power. By this their incessant clamor they hope to excite public animadversion against those who do not participate in their opinions, and, by thus affecting an exclusive patriotism, to seize upon the power most ready to resist the pretended oppression of the foreigner.

Invidious and superficial writers have attempted to convey the impres sion that the interests and the policy of Great Britain are opposed to the interests and the policy of all the world; but reason and common sense tell us the very reverse, and show us that the interests of Great Britain are in perfect harmony with the interests of all the human race.

Any further exercise of lenity on the part of Great Britain would be an act of injustice to those who look to her for protection, and onsistent. moreover, with the dignity and power of a great nation. Therefore, I think the moment has arrived for taking the last ster induce the gov ernment of Salvador to adopt a more decorus ude of conduct in its relations with England, and to use all nersary means in order to prevent a repetition of the false and calum and its agents which the government us assertions in regard to the pro

ceedings of the British governm

of Salvador has allowed to be inserted in the public papers wich are recognised every where as its own official organs.

The official journal of Salvador imputes to the British governmet acts of the greatest atrocity. It has stigmatized that government as trannical, oppressive, piratical, thievish, usurping, and unjust. Upon th British agents it has poured all sorts of insults and indignities, and haeven gone so far as to refuse to recognise, in the most insulting manne the official character which their sovereign had conferred upon them.

In anticipation of the arrival of British vessels, and with the ope that, by giving timely notice to your government, I shall not be driva to the painful necessity of resorting to active measures in order to compete State of Salvador to treat the British government and British subts with becoming propriety and justice, I proceed to make a formal demid for immediate satisfaction for the abuses and injuries of which I onplain.

In the first place, I have to demand that the government of Salvadr shall issue an agreement or decree, in which it shall bind itself faithful to execute, both in letter and in spirit, all the articles of the two contrac made by D. Miguel Montoya and D. Juan Antonio Alvarado, as specil commissioners of the government of Salvador, with me, as chargé d'a faires of her Britannic Majesty, on board her Britannic Majesty's teanfrigate Gorgon, in the port of La Union, on the 12th of November, 184). That compromise was signed by commissioners especially appoined by the government of Salvador for that purpose; and it is in the form of an arrangement between the two governments, requiring neither the final ratification of her Majesty the Queen nor that of the President of Salador. At the time of signing it, moreover, it was understood and finally greed upon, as the contents of the compromise truly show, that the blockade of the Union should immediately be raised, and that both the commissoners and the authorities of the port should be salted with naval honos, in token of reconciliation.

I have to demand, secondly. that the government of Salvador address a note to D. Marcos Idigoras, British consular agent in Salvador, relieving him of the office of criminal judge, the duties of which he has bund himself compelled to discharge by order of the government.

In the third place, I demand that the government of Salvador address me a note, as her Britannic Majesty's chargé d'affaires, contradicting the notoriously false assertions which the official organs of the government have repeatedly published respecting the conduct of the British government and its agents.

Allow me, in conclusion, to express my earnest wishes that the government of Salvador will not delay in giving the required satisfaction; for I cannot omit adding that, if the aforesaid government does not completely satisfy these formal demands which I am now making upon it, and which do not admit of any discussion, within the period of three weeks, counting from this date, I shall have no other alternative left than to issue the necessary instructions, in order that her Britannic Majesty's vessels, which will reach the coast in September following, may adopt the strongest coercive measures against the State of Salvador.

Don Marcos Idigoras, British consular agent, has been commissioned to deliver this note into your hands, and to communicate with the government of Salvador concerning this plan of settlement. It only remains for

me to sk said government that its reply may be forwarded to me through the sale medium (Señor Idigoras) with the least possible delay, so that it ach me before the 22d instant.

may

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

FREDERICK CHATFIELD.

Tthe MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

of the government of Salvador.

Reply.

[Translation.]

GEN'L DEP'T SUPREME GOV'T OF THE STATE OF SALVADOR, Government House, San Salvador, August 17, 1850. have perused the contents of the note from your consulate dated the 6t instant, purporting to show that, on your return, you received certain communications from Rear Admiral Hori.by, informing you of the disa geeable results of his visit to the coast of Salvador, and of his intention toserd some vessels of war, whose operations shall be directed by your authority and discretion, with a view of obtaining due satisfaction for the many insults offered by my government to that of Great Britain, as well as to ts official agents and to the English public, without particularizing the insults and injuries aforesaid.

Subsequently, the consul expresses himself in a manner foreign to his missin: for he proceeds to talk of a revolutionary faction that is making every effort to manufacture public sentiment favorable to itself-setting afloa, in order to effect this purpose, the falsest and most absurd impres sions in regard to the couct of Great Britain, as a great monarchical power; and states that the moment has arrived for inducing my govern men to adopt a more decorous course of conduct in its relations with Eng and, and to employ all proper means in order to prevent a repetition of the false and calumnious assertions in regard to the proceedings of the British government and its agents. The consul desires that the government of Salvador should alter its conduct, and prevent the publication of certain newspapers, which you assert are recognised as the official organs of the government of Salvador-making, at the same time, a formal de mand for immediate satisfaction for the abuses and injuries of which he complains, and asking, in the first place, that the government of Salvador shall issue a decree, in which it shall pledge its faithfully to execute all the articles of the compromises agreed upon between D. Miguel Montoya and D. Juan Antonio Alvarado, as special commissioners of the supreme government of Salvador, and yourself, as chargé d'affaires of her Britannic Majesty; secondly, that the government of Salvador shall relieve D. Marcos Idigoras, British consular agent in Salvador, of the office of criminal judge, the duties of which, you say, he has found himself compelled to discharge by order of said government; and thirdly, that the supreme government of Salvador shall address you a note, as chargé d'affaires, contradicting the assertions which the official organs of the government have repeatedly promulgated concerning her Britannic Majesty's conduct and that of her agents.