Doc. No. 75. 



309 



«ercise lan authoritative interference in the discussions between the British 

 bondholders and the Nicaraguan government. 



In saying this, however j I beg not to be misunderstood as admitting 

 that such an authoritative interference would be proper and legitimate 

 only in such an extreme case — a case which my respect for the Nicara- 

 guan government forbids me from considering to be possible as between 

 the British bondholders and that government. But as in a matter of this 

 kind it is desirable that no mistake should be allowed to exist, I beg to 

 say that it is quite certain and indisputable that according to international 

 law the government of every country is at full liberty to take up, accord- 

 ing to its own discretion, in such a manner and at such time as it may 

 diink fit, any just claim which any of its subjects may have against the 

 government of any other country. 



I am, &c., 



PALMERSTON. 



Monsieur J. Castellon. 



No. 17, 



FoREiGx Office, July 17, 1849. 

 Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of 3m ar letter of last 

 month, referring to a letter which appeared in the Globe newspaper of the 

 14th of that month, relative to the proceedings, at the port of Greytown, 

 of Mr. Christie, her Majesty's consul general in the kingdom of Mos- 

 quito; your letter, also, complaining of the manner in which Mr. Christie 

 conducted himself towards the goverrnnent of Nicaragua upon the occa- 

 sion of his visit to Leon, in November, 1848. I confine myself, in an- 

 swering your letter, to the single point of the conduct of Mr. Christie, in 

 his correspondence with the government of Nicaragua, and I have to in- 

 form you that Mr. Christie's conduct on that occasion has been entirely 

 approved by her Majesty^'s government, and that he was perfectly right in 

 •quitting Leon as he did when he found that the government of Nicara- 

 gua refused to receive him in the character which his own government 

 had conferred upon him, 



i am, &c., 



PALMERSTON, 



Note pour Mr. Bancroft. 



D^apres une lettre de San Juan de Nicaragua ecrite par la personne qui 

 y a ete envoy-ea par la gouvernement de I'etat, on apprend que de nou- 

 Ycaux reglemens sont toujours publics par les autorites Anglaises y etablies. 

 Les animaux domestiques n'y sont plus recus; les vaux seront recu a 

 'jaison de la veaux {2\ francs) par tete; la correspondance de I'interieur 

 f est payee comme celle qui y arrive de 1' Europe; on estime les maisons 

 et les proprietes des citoyens de Nicaragua pour faire payer un revenu. 



25 May dernier. 



