The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-04

washington, Jan. s-The president |
today sent to the Senate about 300
pages of correspondence relative TO
Bluefelds, summarized in the following |
letter:
To the President:
The secretary OF state, to whom was
referred a resolution adopted by the
Senate on the 4th ult., requesting the
president, -sif not Incompatible with
public Interest to send to the Senate
any reports or correspondence relating /
to affairs at Bluefelds in the Mos
quito territory and also to inform the
Senate whether any American citizens
have been arrested or the rights of
any American citizens at Biuefelds
have been interfered with during the
past two years by the government OF
Nicaragua has the honor to submit
the correspondence called for, that the
same may be transmitted to the Sen
ate should the president .leen it COM
patible with the public interest to do
so. Although the resolution covers
the affairs at Bluefelds during the
past two years, the events TO which it
relates occurred within the las twelve
months. In December, 1893, war broke
out between Nicaragua ana Honduras.
In January detachment of Hon5u-
rian troops seized Cape Garcias Adios
IN Nicaragua, about sixty miles above
the Mosquito strip. The Aearsage was
ordered to Bluehelds to protect the
interests of American citizens but was
wrecked on the way on Roncador reef.
Early in February the government OF
Nicaragua sent a military force to the
strip TO repel the threatened invasion.
On Feb. IL the Nicaraguans occupied
the bluffs and or the 18th
Martial Ln,y was Proclaimed.
They took possession of 5luehelds and
proclaimed martial law in the reserVa-
ton. Against this action, Clarence,
the so-caIled Mosquito chief. protested.
War vessels OF Great Britain and later
Of the United States were sent TO Blue
fields TO protect. the respective foreign
interests in that locality HE Nieara-
guam commissioner to the reservation
attempted, with the concurrence Of the
British naval and consular representa-
tiyeS, to organize a provisional admin
istration for the strip in which Mica
raguans and foreigners We're 70 take
part, but the endeaVor proved dbortive
This government withheld its sanction
of the scheme as inimical to the soVer-
eighty of Nicaragua and American in
terests at Bluefields and RETAINED from
participating in the proposed admins
tratiOn. British marines were tempo-
rarily landed to protect life and
property in view of threatened dis
turbance, but they were withdrawn
When the necessity for their presence
no longer existed, and thereafter an
American vessel sufffced for all needs
for foreign protection. In July last a
movement against the NiGaraguan au-
thority was temporarily successful. the
so-called Indian government was for
time restored, the bluff captured
with loss of life on the part Of Nicara-
qua and the Nicaraguan garrison of
Bluefields expelled. A few citizens of
the United States, who were believed
to have taken part in this insurrec-
ton, left the country. Two America rs,
hampton and Wiitbank, accepted mu-
nicip2l Office under the Short-lved re-
gime and they and ten or twelve others,
mostly English and Ja.naicans, We're
ARBITRARILY arrested and banished. The
urgent ren2onStrance of this govern
ment and its demand that the two
Americans be allowed a hearing and in
any event an opportunity to arrange
their affairs before expulsion resulted
in permission being given them to re-
behavior. With these exceptions and
perhaps that of Ausburn, whose return
was for g, short time refused but at
forwards allowed, the undersigned is
not advised that American citizens in
BlUefields have been arrested. Sundry
complaints growing out of interpreta-
ton Of trade and use Of American Ves-
sells by the Nicaraguan authorities
have had proper attention and viii
doubtless yield to the usual methods
of treatment.
Consul Braida's Exequator.
During the period covered by the
events in question, the Nicaragua
government withdrew the exequatur CT
Mr.. Bradia, the United States consul
at San Juan del Norte on the ground
of his alleged unfriendly acts, but ii
was subsequently restored and unfor-
tunately threatened for a time to
strain the good relations between this
government and that of Nicaragua
One Wilson, an American citizen, hay
ing been murdered at Rama, by Ar.
guello, the temporary governor of the
town, demand for the trial and pun
iShment of the criminal and his accom-
plice was made. Arguello was arrested
at Rama, but escaped with the evident
connivance of the local authorities
and his rearrest and detention at Blue.
fields were followed by a second es
cape, under circumstances indicating
gross negligence, to say the least, OF
the part of those responsible for his
safe custody. He is said to have flee
the country, thus battling the effort!
of the proper authorities to do justice
in the case. The Nicara guam govern
ment, however, testified it's abhorrenct
of the atrocious crime by dismissins
Torres from the Office of governor O.
Rama and by sending a commissions
to the reservation in place of La Cayo
who was in command at Bluefields a
the time of the second escape.
The facts above stated and incidental
references to the treatment of the ques
ton of the inter-oceanic canal by tn
government of Nicaragu appear in tn
correspondence 1t will be observed
that from the beginning of the conflicts
which at times were serious, this gov
eminent has steadily recognized tn
paramount sovereignty of Nicaragua
over the entire reservation, yielding t
no pretcutions inconsistent with tina
sovereignty
The Indian Government.
At no time during the last forty o
fifty years has the so-called native In
dian government in the strip been rea
| On the contrary it has been an allie
municipal government. administered &C
cording to alien methods. Althoug
Americans and American interests hav
sometimes dominated in the strip, thi