118                          FOREIGN     RELATIONS.

tioii due from one government to another, your government cannot remain indifferent,
but must raise its voice to answer the injurious accusations and the threats
made
against it, and also to protest against the intervention of the other republics
in affairs
which concern Costa Rica exclusively.
  Your excellency adds that, with this object,.yon have received instructions
from your
government to make a statement of its policy in regard to the other states
respecting
the acts which preceded the convention in question, and of the nature of
the treaties
broken by Nicaragua by the act of signing it; because, however much your
government
may wish it, it cannot consider that treaty under any aspect save that of
an offensive
and defensive alliance, concluded against the peace and independence of Costa
Rica,
and consequently it has to assume such an attitude as is proper in the situation
in which
it has been placed, declining at once all responsibility for the consequences
that may
be originated by said treaty, so unjust and so injurious to your excellency's
govern-
ment.
  Your excellency proposes to show in that statement, that since-the triumph
of the
liberal revolution of 1871, in the republics of Salvador and Guatemala, up
to the date
of the circular-note herein referred to, no correspondence has taken place
between
Costa Rica and the other republics without expressions and acts of cordiality,.there
not being the least motive to suspect the existence between them of any cause
of comn-
plaint; but, on the contrary, that everything has tended to show that they
were to be
considered as being in a state of profound peace, and perfect harniony with
each other.
  In regard to this republic, your excellency acknowledged that the existing
relations,
though friendly and fraternal, were somewhat impaired by coldness on account
of the
boundary question, the existence of which your excellency attributes to Nicaragua,
because the executive power of this -republic manifested some doubt before
the con-
gress of 1870 upon the validity of the boundary treaty concluded on the 15th
of
April, 1858, accepted and acted upon by both parties during twelve consecutive
years.
  Your excellency says that the question in itself is a grave one, because,
if the treaty
were annulled, as Nicaragua desires, Costa Rica would be free from the obligation
which
is thereby imposed upon it of keeping at a distance from the great lake and
a part of
the shore of the San Juan River, and it would be to the interest of Costa
Rica to regain
the limits it formerly possessed, to which it believes it has a right according
to ancient
titles. You further say that Nicaragua, for its part, with a prospectof opening
the
inter-oceanic canal, wishes to possess this route, to the exclusion of Costa
Rica, and even
now has a great interest in the Colorado River, which unquestionably belongs
to that
republic, throughout its extent; that in spite of this cause of difference
between the
two countries, and although at various times the question has been discussed
with
some warmth on either side, it has been agreed upon never to resort to extreme
meas-
ures, but to arrange all disputes amicably by mutual consent or by arbitration,
which
method was lately accepted by Costa Rica, with the proviso that its right
to Guana-
caste should not be questioned, for the reason assigned in the presidential
message of
the 1st of May of this year.
  As a proof of these assertions and of the prudence and justice that guide
the acts of
the government of Costa Rica, your excellency copied the first three articles
of the
treaty of friendship signed between Costa Rica and this republic; adding,
that no coin-
munication having been addressed to your government for some time past by
that of
Nicaragua stating any cause of complaint, or demanding explanation of any
act that
might be construed as-hostile to the tranquillity of Nicaragua, your government
felt.
able to rest tranquil upon the faith of the treaties, believing them to have
some signifi-
cance in the relations between nations and governments;. that,.besides, the
government
of Costa Rica had another reason for believing itself secured by that of
Nicaragua, and
had full confidence in the personal character of the chief magistrate of
this republic,
whose previous conduct was, in its judgment, a guarantee of peace between
the two
countries; that with such a conviction it was to the interest of Costa Rica
to use the
influence of the government, if it had any, in arresting rather than precipitating
the
revolutionary movement in this republic, postponing it for the legal opportunity
of
the coming elections.
  Your excellency says tha t, in view of all thes'e precedents, your government
remained
tranquil, directing all its attention to the important work of the railroad
already un-
dertaken, and even thought to make it interoceanic for the good of Central
America
and the world, when it was painfully su prised by the treaty of alliance
concluded by
the three republics, which in its form and purport is highly offensive and
threatening
to the dignity, peace, and independence of Costa Rica, adding that its simple
perusal
reveals that in its conclusion nothing has been considered but private passions,
indi-
vidual hatred and prejhdices, founded on superficial views, that ought never
to influ-
ence negotiations of such importance and gravity:; and after expounding the
conduct
that ought to be observed by states before agreeing to any alliance, and
-expressing
especial surprise at that observed by Nicaragua., with which other treaties
existed,
your excellency ends by stating that the government of Costa Rica feels authorized
to
provide for the security of that republic, and to vindicate its offended
dignity, without