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148 Doc. No. 15. 



progress of this really magniiiceiit country will be removed, the spirit of 

 her dependant people aroused, and some degree of permanence restored 

 to her government. Until then her best citizens will continue to expa- 

 triate themselves, or keep aloof from public affairs, and the administration 

 of the government be left to incompetent men or unprincipled adventurers. 

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I shall proceed to the seat of government with all reasonable despatch. 

 By advices from the Messrs. White, I learn that they have as yet done 

 nothing of importance in the matter of a contract with the government 

 relative to a canal, &c., but are anxionsly awaiting my arrival. 



By the accompanying document (A) it will be seen that Mr. Mannings 

 the British vice-consul at Leon, has entered a formal protest (! !) on be- 

 half of his Mosquito Majesty" against the contract executed by Mr. 

 Brown, a copy of which was forwarded with my last despatch. The 

 English officials have hitherto been so successful in accomplishing their 

 objects by menace, that they may have fallen into the error of supposing 

 that they have a prescriptive right to interfere with the internal affairs of 

 every nation not able to cope with their own in arms. To Mr. Manning's 

 amusing protest I append the reply of Salinas, foreign minister. 



The information which I transmitted on the 10th instant respecting 

 the contract entered into between Mr. Castellon and an English company 

 proves to be correct. I presume that the department has received the 

 same information from other sources. Lest, however, this should prove A 

 not to be the case, I shall endeavor to obtain a copy of the contract, with 

 the accompanying correspondence, if possible, in time to forward the 

 same with this communication. 



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In my communication of the 10th, 1 mentioned that I had received 

 information of the appointment of a delegate from Nicaragua, for Guate- 

 mala, at the invitation of Mr. Hise, to meet there similar delegations ^ 

 from 8an Salvador and Honduras. 1 fitid, upon examination here of the 

 files of the government papers, that the delegate or commissioner on the 

 part of Nicaragua is Senor Buenaventura Selva; and from a pubhshed 

 letter from that official, dated Guatemala, May 17, and addressed to the 

 Foreign Minister of the State, I learn that he arrived in that city two 

 days previously, and that negotiations had already been opened with Mr. 

 Hise for the settlement of the terms of a treaty between Nicaragua and 

 the United States. How far these negotiations have proceeded I am not 

 informed, but have no doubt that a treaty of some kind has been agreed 

 upon. If so, I shall be placed in a situation of some embarrassment, as 

 I conceive that Mr. Hise has no authority for the step he has taken, and 

 is certainly not informed of the present views and desires of our govern- 

 ment. By referring to Mr. Buchanan's instructions to Mr. Hise, 1 find 

 that so far from being empowered to negotiate treaties with Nicaragua, 

 Honduras, and Costa Rica, he ivas expres ly advised to the contiary, 

 without further instructions from the Department of State. No such 

 instructions have, I believe, been communicated to him. 



Under these circumstances, I have addressed a note (B) to the govern- 

 ment of this republic, requesting that the treaty made at Guatemala (if 

 such exists) may be allowed to pass as unofficial, and that new negotia- 

 tions may be entered upon at the seat of government. 



