324 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



was legaliy elected vice-president ; the act of the four 

 states in declaring themselves independent was uncon- 

 stitutional and rebellious ; the union could not be dis- 

 solved except by a convention of deputies from all the 

 states ; the government had the actual control in three 

 states, one had been reduced to subjection by arms, and 

 very soon the Federal party vrould have the ascendancy 

 in the others. He v^as familiar v^ith the case, of South 

 Carolina, and said that our Congress had sustained the 

 right of the general government to coerce states into 

 subjection, and they v^ere in the same position. I re- 

 ferred to the shattered condition of the government ; its 

 absolute impotence in other states ; the non-existence of 

 senate and other co-ordinate branches, or even of a sec- 

 retary of state, the officer to vv^hom my credentials were 

 addressed ; and he answered that he had in his suite an 

 acting secretary of state, confirming what had been told 

 me before, that the Government'* would, at a mo- 

 ment's notice, make any officer I wanted ; but I owe it 

 to Senor Vigil to say, that, after going over fully the 

 whole ground of the unhappy contest, and although at 

 that critical juncture the recognition of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment by that of the United States would have been 

 of moment to his party, and not to recognise it was dis- 

 respectful and favoured the cause of the rebellious or in- 

 dependent states, he did not ask me to present my cre- 

 dentials. The Convention, which was expected to com- 

 pose the difficulties of the Republic, was then about as- 

 sembling in Honduras. The deputies from St. Salvador 

 had gone to take their seats, and it was understood that 

 I should await the decision of this body. The result of 

 my interview with the vice-president was much more 

 agreeable than I expected. I am sure that I left him 

 without the least feeling of ill-will on his part ; but my 



