The true Democrat., 1898-12-10

tional concert as completely as in the
material carriage Of commerce and cor
respondence upon the face OF the wa
ters that divide them.
RELATIONS WITH CENTRAL
AMERICA.
The events in Central America de-
serve more than passing mention. A
menacing rupture between Costa Rica
and Nicaragua was happily composed
by the signature Of an agreement at
convention between the parties, with
the concurrence of the Guatemalan
representative as mediator; the act
being negotiated and signed on board
the United States steamer Alert, then
living in Central American waters. 1t
is believed that the good offices of our
enyov and commander of that vessel
contributed toward this gratifying out
come.
In my last anual message the situa-
tion was presented, with respect to the
diplomatic representations of this gov
ernment in Central America, created
by the association Of Nicaragua, Hon
duras and Salvador, under the title Of
the Greater Republic Of Central Amer
ica, and the delegation of their inter-
national functions to the diet thereon.
While the representa- tive character or
the diet was recognized by mySprede-
: cessor and has been confirmed during
nv administration by receiving its &C
: credited envoy and granting exequa-
e lures to cOnsuls commissioned under
! it's authority, that recognition was
q qualified by the distinct understanding
: that the responsibility of each of the
; competent sovereign republics toWarc
+ the United States remained wholly un'
d affected.
i This provlso was needful inasmuch as
d the compact of the three republics wa:
\ at the outset an association whereby
s certain representative functions were
Il delegated to a mipartite commission
l. rather than a federation POSSESSING
g centralized powers of government ant
'ss administration. In this view OF thel
relation and the relation Of the Unitet
: States to several republics, a chang
in the representation Of this countr,
" in Central America was neither recog
T. niZed by the executive nor initiated b
: Congress; thus leaving one Of our en-
- voys accredited as heretofore separate
-, ly to two states Of the Greater Repub
=, lie, Nicaragua and Salvador, and to
=, third state, Costa Rca, which wa
. not party to the compact; while ou
~, other envoy was similarly accredite
- to the Union stated as Honduras, and
40 non-union stated as Guatemala. TE
~ result has been the presentation
~ credentials only to the president
~ Costa Rica, the other having been r.
Ie' ceived by the government Of Guat
~ mala.
1t, Subsequently the three associated
u publics entered into negotiations 4
making the steps forecast in the or
a inal compact A convention of the
n delegates framed for them a feder
"a, constitution under the name of t
lal United States of Central America, al
ge provided for a central federal cover
nd ment and legislature. Upon ratific
all ton by the constituent states the fiji
We of November last was fixed for the ne
Ter system to 60 into operation. Within
Lce few weeks thereafter, the plan W
is, severely tested by revolutionary NOV
nd ments arising, with consequent
ILL., mand for unity of action on the ps
of the military power of the fede1
. states to suppress them. Under Il
strain the new union seems to ha
ire been weakened through the Withdraw
nj of it's more important members. T.
1a- government has not officially advis
lty of the installation of the federation a
1os has maintained an attitude of frien'
Use expectancy, while in no wise rel
ign gushing the position held from the o
Gus set that the responsibilities of the 81
lu- eral states towards US remained IN