The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-02-05
OUR INTERCOURSE WITH CENTRAL
AMERICA.


Accompanying the Important accommodation here
with transmitted letters from the translator CO.
partner Of the author 10 tho undersigned, dated the
lib and lath Of October lS4S which, y believed
the latest dates from that part OF the Pacfc, and
are without argument, the best practical commena'
ry upon the postal system which has long existed III
Central America.
Deprecating, as you do the spirit of monopoly,
wherever II shows its selfish 'front.' the publication OF
this communication in the Hsraid, from one OF the
wealthiest Spanish American merchants, IN Central
America, 10 the Governor of Honduras in succession
TO the very able and enlightened report OF the TALENT
ed chairman Of the House Committee on Naval Al
fairs, WILL II Is apprehended, tend both TO augment
the information conveyed In that report and inform
the mind Of Congress as to the reciprocal action
already al work In Central America, upon the sub
l. ect.
The importance also, Of opening diplomatic inter
course, and establishing consular agencies OF the
United States OF the North. with the States Of Cen
trnl America, and In view Of revsal OF our dipo-
matte and consular system and our extensive COM
mercial inieresis on the Pacific the etterrom Senior
Dnrdano, OF San Miguel San Salvador will no doubt
tend in some measure facilitate the action OF Con
gfess, upon this much corrupted as well as lncom
p!!ete branch Of the public service, D. b.
SAN MIouEl, October l6, l645.
Ma. EpIroR or THE Herald. If yon find II agree
able permit the following letter. which, at the request
of Spanish merchant here have translated from
the Spanish TO occupy few lines In yonr widely cir
culated anu appfeclQble paper ana tnougn IL may
not give much information, still il will show the
views taken by the leading merchant of Central Anne
RIGA with regard 10 the commercial interest existing
between this place and the United States of North
| America s"t
| During residence of twenty years In Central
America have had occasion 10 become acquainted
with all liz coasts and ports, and to study It's COM
merce, calculating the approximated quantity of its
products, as well as their character, and the con.
sumption OF The imported products from foreign
countries, and To observe, In my long residence in
each Of the States Of this republic the character
the taste and the state of the richness Of the place
know also that the commerce of IL is carried on in
the greatest degree, by the English that thai great
and calculating nation has become acquainted with
the poorness Of their taste in fabrcating goods OF
,le value and having s;,g aSdy appearance which
Of ordinary quality; yet offered at such low prices
apparently, that their Ignorance Of fabrics does moi
enable the consumers 10 Judge ofthem correctly; but
that gives great advantage TO the importer and the
English manufacturer Penetrated with the force Of
these facts, and in two voyages that have made 10
the United States Of North America having witness
ed the progress OF that republic In her marine and
commercial arts; and Judging from the opinions OF
Americans are able 10 compete adyantageoualy with
the English commerce in n the distant places, and
10 rival all nations In the republics of Spanish Anne
rica, because her own soil produces the principal
elements, and abounda in enterprise and commercial
genius from which II results that her rates Of trans
portation are lower than those Of the English have
become convinced, from the Introduction made by
myself Of American goods that the people in general
prefer them to English goods for their compactness
and durability; and have asked myself why is this
Because the Central Americans have greater polit
ical sympathy with the North Americans, who also
manufacture better articles than the English and are
near neighbors with this nation and the first in civil
izaton and liberal Institutions. And have encoun
tered another very plain reason II is this that the
these government and, for this reason they have
been tolerated against tho real wishes of the people
and their commerce more favored than that of any
other nations and because all parts Of these govern
ments are encolnpassed by English consular diplo-
matte, and commercial establishments; and wherever
you cast your eyes, you encounter them the first As
| am only spectator, but DESTROYS that Central Anne
rica should rid herself OF this tyrant yoke her
riches, that the British nation has put upon the in
habitants, conclude that it is the duty Of this re-
public by all possible means TO facilitate and attract
| the commerce Of North America because in reality
| that government is the only one that sympahzes
of the tropics, her people naturally have necessity
for the consumption OF our tropical products; and
as we also have necessity for their products re-
| peat, that would like that the Governors would
commence by lowering tho export duties on products
that sent to the United States, and successfully
TO make some gradual reductions in favor Of goods
imported from North America when brought 10 the
republic. would like also that the government of
Honduras would open diplomatic relations with the
cabinet at Washington, and arrange with the United
States that the line Of steam VESSELS that they have
1 Nynl
iforn!a, might touch In the port Of Amapola In the
Island OF Tiger, where they might bring the cor
respondence Of all Europe, OF the Anlas, of North
and South America, and In fine, Of all the world and
to carry ours TO whatever part Of the world we may
wish to send IL; because he that knows the advan-
tages that this line Of vessels will give cannot for one
moment doubt but that this point must be the throat
or channel for the commerce Of all the world as III
as that of the Isla del Tigre, or Tiger Island Is the
centre OF this republic.
How many blessings the Central Americana may
hope for and In particular those of Honduras II the
express line Of steam vessels touch In their going
and coming at the port of Amapola on the island Of
Tiger Then, whoever wishes, may 60 from thence
to New York In ten or twelve days; to the Antilles
In SIX and 10 Europe In twenty-iour; and our cor
respondence will arrive in the same time, and then
we can say with the instructor speaking of The
discovery OF steam, "that this wonderful discovery
has bro,gh. England and the United States ninety
per cent. nearer than before"
II the government of Honduras, or Central Amer
lea, should 30 arrange with the owners OF the line OF
steamers 10 touch a. Amapola, we can calculate on
an augmention Of five hundred per Of the postal
income, because II Is a known principle In political
economy that so much more man facilitated means
OF communication, so much more will be augmented
the correspondence and as much less the price of
Transporting the communication, so that, If by
conveyance Of letters by the courers the admins.
traton OF Honduras can scarcely pay The expenses of
the post, and maintain the interior relations when
they obtain the means we have spoken Of the post
will produce a return with which to pay all expenses
and build up the port of Amapola, without the gov
eminent having TO pay out of the treasury, and will
extend the relations so necessary for the country
and in particular those Of commerce because with.
out this branch we will be reduced to a nulity but
to obyiate this, the government OF Honduras must
negotiate with the estabshArs of this line that they
share with regard 10 the receipt and payment Of
postage, &c.
In proof Of this, In England they have established
the fact that az much more the facilities OF CON.
mnncarion expand, so much more the correspon-
dence IL augmented. In New York they have actu-
ally drawn up petition 10 the government that may
reduce the postage Of letters from FIVE cents 10 one
or uniform rate, irrespective OF distance; thus de-
monstrallng the fact that these means have trim
Heated The postal revenue. The apathis,z and those
of little judgment, object saying that to regulate this
subject II is necessary that there should exist ma
tional government OF the States of Central America
but Judge that will be necessary to try this meas
ure with posts between the United States, and II II
be not possible to those great advantages In
that manner then Honduras alone should take. IL
under charge and gain the glory of being the govern
ment Tor fostering the introduction into Central Anne.
ricn OF civilization and commercial greatness
In conclusion, the government has the power 10
establish in Amapoa post Office, where, per force
all the vessels Of the United States will have to 20 10
receive their correspondence and that which Is 10 be
abroad All nrooreea nf n rou