139
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE L;tMAR
can States upon an anti-Republican or European basis, I hope we shall be pardond, if - by tM desire to promote what we deem the best interests of the country - for we believe that nothing short of the interference, directly or indirectly, of of [sic] the United States, whos agent you· are, can prevent the entire success of European diplo- macy - we trespass upon your time & patience. We consider that you must of necessity be aware of the efforts above adverted to, but fear that it may have escaped your notice that the scheme of M. Bailley is not a new one, & consequently not to be despised or underrated. Our fears on this point have been awakened by the remembrance that we have seen several of your predecessors· deceived by the servill politeness & attention, and the almost inherent disposition to faun, flatter and dissemble, so characteristic of Central American politicians - Since 1850 there has been a regularly organized & systematic course of en- treague persued by European agents here first, to establish the "Ser- vi}," reactionary or anti-Republican party in power, throuout all Cen- tral America. Second, to consolidate these governments upon a Euro- pean basis, as a barrier against the United Sfates. This is a fact that all American residents, who have taken an interest in the politics of the country, have for years been aware of. In 1855 seeing that our :Minister Mr. Wheeler allowed himself to be deceived into giving the moral support of his government to that party that European agents were endeavoring to build up, as a barrier against the United States. I called attention to the fact through the columns of the New York Herald, and again last winter after it became known that Sir Wm. C. Consby & M. Bailly were to be sent out here, I again adverted to the fact through the same medium signed, "Ranchero Viejo" Previous to Mr. Squire's Mission here British agents seem to have had the field quite to themselves and to have labored to prevent the establishment of any firm & solid government or governments irrespective of party, and to have exerted themselves in creating & fomenting discord, be- tween the States & between the "Servile" & "Liberal" parties in the several states respectively. Mr Squire's Mission and the universally expressed admiration of the beauty & fertility of the country, by the California emigrants who at that time were accustomed to pass through this section of country, coupled with the successes of the Mexican war: alarmed British agents Mr. Thos. Manning, acting vice consel for H. B. Majesty in ~icaragna, wrote to his government that "if something be not speedily done to prevent it, the whole country will soon be over- run by yankee adventurers to the very great prejudice of British in- terests!" Something was clone. The Clayton & Bulwer treaty was made binding the contracting parties not to Colonize '&c. But Eng- land had colonized and the limits of her Colonies were undefined, hence she was willing to enter into such an arrangement for it could only slightly irnpead her in carrying out her origional policy. This was one point gained, but it was not enough. It did not prevent individual Colonization. If this could be prevented "Yankee Adventurers" would be shut out of the country & British interest secured. The govern- ments of Nicaragua, Honduras & San Salva were in the hands of the "Liberals" or democrats" who were anxious to have yankees settle in the country & were offering every inducement in their power to per- suade them fo do so. Some had already availed themselves of the
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