New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-19
Our Minister at Guatemala.

The friends of Colonel Williamson, United
States Minister to the Central American
republics, will be pleased to learn of his
health and active attention to the duties Of
his position. A correspondent Of the New
York Herald writes, under the date Of last
of April:
On the third instant had the pleasure of
a long conversation with the Hon. George
Williamson, United States minister for
Central America. Colonel Williamson is q
man who, after long residence in the
country, has become thoroughly acquainted
with its resources and the wants of it's
people, as we'll as their virtues and foibles:
back and forth among the five States to
which he was accredited, and that during
his iorneyings hither and thither in Guate-
mala. San Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras
and Costa Rica, he never had occasion to
carry. much less to use, a weapon OF any
kind, either offensive or defensive. re-
port of this nature from such quarter
speaks volumes in favor OF the people of
Central America. l am glad to add my
own testimony so far a. it goes.
l travelled lately on the stage between
the port of San Jose and the city of Guate
mala and between the latter place and these
Headquarters, and. although it is war time,
I neither saw nor heard of high wayman.
In this respect the country is very different
from Mexico. There everybody goes armed,
and while on the road expects an attack
from robbers. Here nobody outside of the
army carries firearms or thinks OF any
danger on the road.
We have had evidences that Colonel
Williamson has devoted himself to estab-
fishing kindly relations among the several
States to which he is accredited. 1t seems
now that Guatemala is disposed to conquer
federal union among her sisters. Colonel
williamson has done much to impress
President Barrios with the Importance of a
commercial intercourse with the United
States, and we are not surprised that the
Herald correspondent thus chronicles the
partial success Of his counsels:
The government of President Barrios has
given great impetus to public improvement
and private enterprise. He has established
a yery acceptable system of public educa-
| ton and made the attendance OF children
| between certain ages compulsory. He
has opened long lines of telegraph
in several directions and commenced
| the construction of an excellent road
between the city of Guatemala and
| the port of Isabel, on the Caribbean
sea, a distance OF sixty leagues, more or
| less, When the present war broke out the
| government had over 1000 men employed
On this useful and important work. Al
| present it is. of course, paralyzed
| When this road is finished it will place
| the city of Guatemala within ten OF
eleven days travel from New York, while
at present, under the most favorable Cir
cumstances, the traveller occupies eighteen
| or nineteen days to make the trip through
The new road will also Obviate the neces-
| sity of passing shipments of coffee and the
| other rich products of Guatemala over thu
Panama railroad Rates OF freight will thus
be lessened very materially, and the neces
sity of transhipment entirely done away
with. New York and other American port
will thus be most favorably placed with re
gard to the greatest coffee market in Centra
America; a vast field will be opened TO
American commercial enterprise, and manu-
facturers who are now successfully snip
ming their fabrics to Misunderstanding
seems like carrying coal to Newcastle
will find much more lucrative and qulcke
sale, not only in Guatemala, but also in tn
other tour Central American States.
tits little peculiar that the correspond
ent does not see that this work will plac
Guatemala within four or five days of NeV
Orleans. However, we hope the work vii
be completed, and that every port and plac
in the Union will derive advantage fro1
the influence of it's minister to the Centrs
American States. The Herald correspond
ent has made no notice of the ship cans
through Nicaragua. This work has r
ceived also the active cooperation of tn
American minister. Its construction wi
promote the interest of all the Unite
States, but 1t will especially promote that
New Orleans, as this city would be the baf
of labor and provision supplies. We trul
Minister Williamson will achieve thet
great public objects and return to enjoy,
an American citizen, his personal share
the advantages which must accrue from
diplomatic success.