POLITICAL STATE OFGUATIMALA. 



199 



frontier, with their eyes always fixed upon home, kept 

 up constant communications, and fostered the growing ^ 

 discontents. Some of them, in a state of penury 

 abroad, ventured to return, and these not being molest- 

 ed, others soon followed. At this time came on the 

 rising of Carrera, which was at first more dreaded by 

 the Centralists than the Liberals, but suddenly, and to 

 their own utter astonishment, placed the former nomi- 

 nally at the head of government. 



In May preceding my arrival the term of the presi- 

 dent, senators, and deputies had expired, and no elec- 

 tions had been held to supply their places. The vice- 

 president, who had been elected during an unexpired 

 term, was the only existing officer of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. The states of Guatimala, Honduras, Nica- 

 ragua, and Costa Rica had declared themselves inde- 

 pendent of the Federal Government. The states of 

 San Salvador and Quezaltenango sustained the Federal 

 Government, and Morazan, as commander-in-chief of 

 the Federal forces, had defeated Ferrera, and estab- 

 lished troops in Honduras, which gave the Liberal party 

 the actual control of three states. 



Virtually, then, the states stood " three and three." 

 Where was my government ? The last Congress, be- 

 fore its dissolution, had recommended that panacea for 

 political ills, a convention to amend the Constitution. 

 The governments of England and France were repre- 

 sented near that of Central America by consuls general. 

 Neither had any treaty; England could not procure 

 one except upon a surrender of all claim to the Isl- 

 and of Roatan, in the Bay of Honduras, and to Ba- 

 lize. One had been drawn up with France, but, 

 though pressed with great earnestness by the consul 

 general of that country, the senate refused to ratify it. 



