Page:Difficulties Between Mexico and Guatemala.djvu/24

 The question of limits was not again discussed until October, 1873, when Señor Lafragua, Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed a note to Señor Garcia Granados, Chargé d' Affaires of Guatemala, indicating the necessity that the question should be concluded. For that purpose he invited the Government of Guatemala to appoint a plenipotentiary to open the negotiations in this capital.

Señor Uriarte, the new Minister of Guatemala, replied after some months, in July, 1874, after Señor Lafragua had asked him by note whether the said invitation was accepted, that he was provided with a full power to enter upon negotiations.

On the 21st of August, Señor Uriarte presented a memorandum to serve as a basis for discussion. After various conferences, Señor Lafragua replied to the memorandum, by a note dated October 9, 1875, with which he inclosed a draft of a treaty of limits between the two republics.

This important note, already alluded to, has remained without reply, as has also been previously remarked.

In July, 1877, negotiations were resumed between Señor Vallarta, as Plenipotentiary of Mexico, and Señor Uriarte, Minister of Guatemala. The result was the convention of December 7th of that year.

II. The note of Mr. Blaine alludes to this convention. By it, as already indicated, there was created a mixed commission of Mexican and Guatemalan engineers, charged with making a survey, forming plans, and fixing astronomically certain points in order to advance the knowledge of the question at issue, and afterward continue the discussion upon the limits of the two republics.