Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-01-09
RECOGNIZE NICARAGUA.
President Informs the Senate of the
Policy of the State De-
partment.

Washington, d. c., Jan. 3.-The Presi-
dent today sent to the Senate about 300
pages of correspondence relative to Blue
fields, summarized in the following letter:
TO the President: The secretary of state,
10 whom was referred d resolution adopted
by the Senate on the 4th ult., requesting the
President, ''if not incompatible with pnbIic
interest, to send to the Senate any reDorts
OF correspondence relating to affairs al Blue
hedds in the Mosquito territory and also to
inform the Senate whether any American
CITIZENS have been arrested or the rights of
any american citizens at BlueGeldS 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
Senate should the President deem it com
pdt1ble with the public interest to do So
Although the resolution covers affairs at
Bluehelds during the past two years, the
events to which it relates occurred within
the last twelve months.
IN December, 1898, war broke out between
Nicaragua and Honduras. In January q de-
ttachment or Hondurlan troops seized Capt.
GraclaS a. DiOS in Nicaragua, about sixty
miles above the Mosquito strip. The Kear-
sarge was ordered to Bluefields to protect the
wrecked on the way OH Roncador reef Early
IN February the government of Nicaragua
sent military force to the strip to repel
the Threatened invasion. On February IL,
the Nicaraguans occupied the bluff, and on
the 18th they took possession Of BluetieldS
and proclaimed martial lay, in the reserva-
ton Against this action Clarence, the So
called Mosquito chief, protested.
, war YeSSclS OF Great Britain and later Of
protect the respective foreign interests In
that locality. The Nicaraguan commmission-
er to the reservation attempted, with the
concurrence of the British naval and con
suar representatives, to organize a provi,
sional government for the strip in which
Nicaraguans and foreigners were to take
part, but the endeaVOr proved abOrtiYe.
This government withheld it's sanction of
the scheme as inimical to the sovereignty Of
Nicaragua. ana American interests at Blue
fields refrained from participating in the pro-
posed administration. British marines were
temporarily landed to protect life and prop
erty in view Of threatened disturbance, but
they were withdrawn when the necessity for
their presence no longer existed and there
after an American vessel suficed for all
needs OF foreign protection.
In July last movement against the Mic
araguan authority was temporarily success
full, the so-called Indian government was for
time restored, the bluff captured with loss
of life on the part Of Nicaragua and the
Nicaraguan garrison Of Bluetelds expelled.
A few citizens Of the United States, who
were believed to have taken part in this in
surrectiOn, left the country. Two Americans,
Hampton and Wiltbank accepted municipal
office under the short-iyed regime and they
and ten or twelve others, mostly English and
Jamaicans, were arbitrarily arrested and
baniShed. The urgent remOnStrance Of this
government and it's demand that the two
Americans be allowed a hearing and in any
event an opportunity to arrange their af-
fairs before expulsion, resulted in permission
being given them to return to BluefeldS I'M
der pledge of good behavior.
With these exceptions, and perhaps that Of
one AuSburn, whose return was for q short
time refused but afterwards allowed, the
undersigned is not advised that American
SUndry complaints growing out of Interrupt
tions of trade and use of American vessels
by the Nicaraguan, authorities have had
the usual method of treatment.
During the period covered by the events In
question, the Nicaraguan government with
drew the exequatur of Mr.. Braida, the United
States consul at San Juan del Norte on the
ground of his alleged unfriendly acts, but
it was subsequently restored. An unfOrtun-
ate incident threatened for a time to strain
the good relations between this government
and that of Nicaragua. One Wilson,, an
American citizen, having been murdered at
Rama by ArguellO, the temporary governor
of the town, a demand for the trial and pun
Shment of the criminal and his accOmplice
was made. ArguelIo was arrested at Rama,
but escaped with the evident cOnniyance of
64f az RiTaaids h we're foijaWeG h1 q
second escape. under circumstances indicat-
ing gross negligence, to say the least, on the
tody. He is said to have fed the country,
thus battling the efforts of the proper au-
thorities to do justice. in the case. Inc
Nicaraguan government, however, testified
its adherence of the atrocious crime by dis
missing Torres from the office of governor
of Rama and by sending a commissioner to
the reservation in place of Lacayo, who wac
in command at Blue6elds at the time og the
second escape.
The facts above stated and incidental res
erences to the treatment of the question OF
the interOceanic canal by the government OF
Nicara qua appear in the correspondence.
It will be observed that from the beginning
of the conflicts. which at times were serious,
this government has steadily recognized the
paramount sovereignty of Nicaragua over the
entire reservation, yielding to the pFeten
sons inconsistent with that sovereignty AT
no time during the last forty or Gsty years
has the so-called native Indian government
in the strip been real. On the contrary il
has been an alien municipal government adj
ministered according to alien methods. AL
though Americans and American interests
have some time dominated in the strip this
government while Intervening in proper
cases for their protection, has constantly dis
ayowed any right of it's own or of its citi:
zens to govern the reservation or participate
in the political affairs. Whatever right OF
self-gOvernment the Indians enjoyed under
the treaty concluded between Great Britain
and Nicaragua was to be exercised by them
selves and not by aliens in their name. That
treaty contemplated the eventual surrender
by the Indians of their strip, and their I'm
corporation into the republic of Nicaragua
on the same footing as other citizens of the
republic"
A report of a convention, concluded on
November 20 last, is herewith communicated
by which it is declared that the Mosquito
Indians, while retaining special privileges,
in accordance with their customs and IRA
submit to the laws and authorities of Me
aragua for the purpose of forming part of the
political and administrative organization
Great Britain, it is proper to say, has given
this government the most positive assurance
that she asserts no right of sovereignty or
contrary respects the full and paramount
sovereignty Of the government of Nicaragua.
i'e'i'' - 'i'' W. o. GRESHAM