Mr. Baker to Mr. Gresham.
Managua, September 12, 1894. (Received October 4.)
Sir: In my official dispatch dated July 27, the following paragraph occurs:
I had a talk with Dr. Madriz this morning and I find his mind filled with the idea that the Americans are at the bottom of the trouble at Bluefields; and his assistant secretary, Ramon Mayorga Rivas, more frank than discreet, announced the purpose of the Government to take down 1,000 troops and 4 cannon, and to butcher all the Americans in that territory if necessary to establish and maintain Nicaraguan rule there.
Mr. Mayorga has informed me that Minister Guzman writes from Washington that he (Mayorga) made use of this language to me. While this is not exactly the case, he has now admitted to me that he did make use of substantially this language to my informants, but that he was in fun. Mr. H. C. Emery, of Boston, first informed me of this man’s talk. I was so astounded that I requested Mr. Emery to see Mr. Mayorga and call his attention to the expression reported to have been used by him. Mr. Emery did so, and afterwards called upon me and said that Mr. Mayorga repeated to him almost the identical expression.
The words were first used by Mr. Mayorga while in conversation with Mr. P. W. Chamberlain, a reputable American citizen and correspondent of the New York Herald. It was afterwards repeated, in substance, to Mr. H. C. Emery, of the mahogany firm of that name, Boston, Mass.
Mr. Mayorga has since been relieved of his official position and is now in private life. He had always claimed to be an especially good friend of Americans, and I was astounded to hear of his use of the intemperate language attributed to him.
I have, etc.,