Chap. IX. FOKEIGN INFLUENCES. 145 
and by a circular note to the foreign powers with whom it 
had been in political relations, dated June 4th. And in 
a communication, dated June 10th, the national govern- 
ment was informed by Nicaragua that this State had 
fulfilled its federal duties in that respect, and Mr. Mar- 
coleta, who, till then, had been accredited as Charge 
d' Affaires of the republic of Nicaragua to the government of 
Washington, was recommended to the same position under 
the authority of the national government of Central America. 
It is a remarkable fact that on this occasion England 
and the United States took the same view of the question, 
both concurring in not taking any notice of these com- 
munications, nor of the existence of the new Central 
American confederation in general, though it had been 
formed under the influence of the latter of the two powers. 
The government of President Taylor had given place to 
that of President Fillmore, and with the change of ad- 
ministration a change of system in reference to Central 
American affairs had also occurred at Washington. 
When, in July, the diplomatic agent, who was to follow 
Mr. Squier in Central America, was sent out by the 
government of the United States, he insisted upon being 
received by the government of Nicaragua and obstinately 
refused to enter into any communications with the national 
government. The British Consul General did the same. 
To the official communication of the establishment and 
inauguration of that government he gave no answer, and 
in a confidential letter to one of the ministers, he used the 
most undiplomatic language which, as far as I know, is on 
record in the history of modern international transactions. 1 
1 A copy of the letter of Mr. Frede- 
rick Chatfield to Mr. Pablo Buitrago, 
then one of the members of the national 
government, was communicated to me 
by Mr. Guerrero, another member of 
that government, in the presence and 
with the consent of his colleague. It 
is dated : Legacion de S. M. B„ Gua- 
