GUATEMALA. 



413 



dered the " Thetis " and the " Ranger " to Cen- 

 tral America to protect American citizens and 

 to be at the disposal of the minister for the for- 

 warding of intelligence and instructions. The 

 ministers of Great Britain, France, Germany, 

 and Spain acceded to the proposal to tender a 

 concerted mediation, the newly appointed Mexi- 

 can minister, Gen. Alatorre, having not yet ar- 

 rived. At the instance of the diplomatic body, 

 Gen. Ezeta ordered his troops not to attack the 

 Guatemalan forces confronting them, being anx- 

 ious, perhaps, to avoid giving the Guatemalan 

 people, then torn by internal dissensions, cause 

 for uniting to repel an invading army, which 

 they could overwhelm with superior numbers if 

 it penetrated too far into their country. Baril- 

 las, whose fortunes were at their lowest ebb, 

 was anxious for peace, but urged the resignation 

 of Ezeta as a condition. Each Government ac- 

 cused the other of being the aggressor, Gen Ba- 

 rillas, asserting that his forces were only once en- 

 gaged with the invading army, all the other 

 battles having been fought between warring fac- 

 tions of Salvador, while the Salvador authorities 

 denied that they had sent troops across the 

 border until the Guatemalans had made several 

 ineffectual attempts to occupy positions on their 

 territory. On Aug. 7, Minister Mizner em- 

 barked on one of the American war vessels for 

 La Libertad, Salvador, where he could commu- 

 nicate by cable with his Government. His pur- 

 pose was also to confer with Provisional Presi- 

 dent Ezeta on the subject of mediation and the 

 terms of peace. The diplomatic representatives 

 of Costa Rica and Nicaragua had proffered their 

 services independently to arrange the basis of 

 a settlement. President Ezeta, through unof- 

 ficial channels, hinted his willingness to refer 

 the matter to the joint arbitration of Mexico 

 and the United States, thinking that if the 

 American Government, owing to the residence of 

 the minister to Guatemala, was biased in favor 

 of his adversaries, Mexican antagonism to Gua- 

 temala could be relied on to counterbalance this 

 influence. He insisted, as a prime condition of 

 negotiations, that he should be officially recog- 

 nized as Provisional President. This confronted 

 the United States Government with an awkward 

 difficulty, because there were two governments 

 in Salvador, and of the two that of Dr. Ayala 

 was the constitutional Government. On Aug. 11 

 President Ezeta formally announced an armis- 

 tice pending the peace negotiations. After his 

 conferences with President Ezeta Mr. Mizner re- 

 turned to Guatemala on Aug. 16. By Aug 18 a 

 protocol was completed by the intermediaries, 

 chiefly through the efforts of SeSor Arellano, 

 the Spanish minister. The good offices and me- 

 diation of the diplomatic body were accepted by 

 both parties, but the basis of peace proposed in 

 the provisional treaty was rejected, as implying 

 the abandonment of the independence of Salva- 

 dor, by Ezeta, who advanced the right of Sal- 

 vador to dictate terms of peace as being both 

 the aggrieved and the victorious party, and in 

 order to bring the enemy to his terms he threat- 

 ened to order his troops to advance on the Gua- 

 temalan capital. 



Barillas had strengthened his lines with drafted 

 recruits, and now ordered all citizens between 

 the ages of seventeen and fifty to present them- 



selves for conscription on pain of being shot. 

 About 25,000 soldiers were massed on the frontier. 

 Gen. Bogran entered into an open league with 

 Guatemala, sending forces to form a junction 

 with the army of Barillas. Costa Rica and Nic, 

 aragua manifested an intention to join Salva- 

 dor, and the eventual intervention of Mexico 

 was apprehended if Guatemala threatened Sal- 

 vador s independence. Simultaneously with the 

 advance of an army from Honduras into Salva- 

 dorian territory, Gen. Barillas ordered an at- 

 tack on Gen. Irungaray's revolutionaries, who 

 defeated the Guatemalan army, and compelled it 

 to retreat to the capital, while the Salvador sol- 

 diers under Gen. Molina drove back the invaders 

 from Honduras with heavy losses after a battle 

 lasting five hours. The proclaimed general levy 

 of all adults drove many to join the insurgents 

 in Chiquimula or the Salvador troops across the 

 border. A forced loan of $600,000 from the 

 city of Guatemala, and of $400,000 from Quezal- 

 tenango was demanded, and by another decree 

 the tax on real estate was doubled, the export 

 duty on coffee raised from $1 to $2 per 100 

 pounds, a duty imposed on salt, and an addi- 

 tional duty placed on spirits, and internal-reve- 

 nue taxes were levied on liquors, tobacco, soap, 

 candles, and other articles. 



The Treaty of Peace. The preliminaries of 

 peace, which were formulated by the diplomatic 

 corps at the request of the ministers of Costa 

 Rica and Nicaragua, after they had been signed 

 by President Barillas, were submitted to President 

 Ezeta, in Salvador, on Aug. 26, by Minister Mizner, 

 the doyen of the diplomatic corps, who was ac- 

 companied by the Spanish minister and the min- 

 isters of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The basis 

 for the re-establishment of peace was as follows : 



I. Both armies to withdraw from the frontier within 

 forty-eight hours after the ratification of peace. 



II. The armies of Guatemala, Honduras, and Sal- 

 vador to be reduced to a peace footing within eight 

 days. 



III. The state of government existing in Salvador 

 prior to June 22 to be renewed as soon as possible, 

 the present President pledging himself to order an 

 election within twenty-one days, and in case he is 

 elected instead of one of the vice-presidents, he shall 

 hold office only for the unexpired term ending March 

 1, 1891. 



IV. Officers of the Government designated in the 

 Constitution judges of the Supreme Court and the 

 Inspector-General of the army in office before the 

 revolution to be reinstated. 



V. The Government of Salvador to be recognized 

 by the states of Central America and ad referendum 

 by other governments upon the election of a President 

 and his installation. 



VI. Full and unconditional amnesty to be granted 

 in Guatemala, Honduras, and Salvador to all who 

 have taken part in events having their origin in the 

 war. 



VI I. The treaty of peace to be renewed within three 

 months after the new President has taken possession 

 of his office in order to eradicate bitter feeling and 

 confirm the autonomy and independence of the repub- 

 lics, all claims for indemnity being renounced. 



VIII. The treaty to be submitted to Honduras for 

 her adhesion. 



IX. The belligerent powers to notify their acceptance 

 or rejection of the treaty within five days, and all 

 communications from the respective Governments to 

 be published in their official papers. 



The articles were dated Aug. 27, and were 

 signed by the ministers of the United States, 



