Page:Difficulties Between Mexico and Guatemala.djvu/62

 the laboring classes of Guatemala, the utter lack of guarantees on the part of the unfortunate residents of that republic, the duplicity of General Barrios as a part of his methods of government, his unbounded ambition, and especially his fixed design, long since formed, of disputing the Mexican title to Soconusco and Chiapas. In this publication, bearing date in 1876, is correctly predicted and outlined (pages 158-161) the hostile conduct recently observed by Guatemala toward Mexico in regard to the question of limits. It is very remarkable that the recent attempt on the part of Guatemala to obtain the intervention of the United States should have been indicated five years ago in this document, which must be well known to General Barrios, though the Government of the United States is hitherto probably quite ignorant of its existence. Says Mr. Romero:

"It (the Government of Guatemala) has gone so far as to imagine that, in case of a war, Guatemala might celebrate a treaty of alliance with the United States, with the object of carrying on a joint war against Mexico and dividing between them the spoils. It would not be strange, much less impossible, that, under certain circumstances, which are fortunately not probable at this time, the United States might wage against Mexico another war as unjustifiable and as disastrous as that of Texas; but whoever knows the position occupied in the world by the United States, the essential difference between the policy of their Government and that of Guatemala, the national pride of their people, and various other circumstances, which I consider it unnecessary to enumerate, will come to the conclusion that, if unfortunately the United States ever declare war upon Mexico, they will do it for