CENTRAL AMERICA, Diplomatic Re lations The earlier general interest of the United States in Latin America was first attracted to a larger consideration of the prob lems relating to Central America under Mon roe's administration, which in 1818 had an opportunity to consider suggestions for estab lishing the southern limit of the United States at the Isthmus of Panama, in 1819 completed U the establishment of the United States as a Gulf power by the acquisition of Florida, in 1822 recognized the extinguishment of direct Spanish interests in Mexico, and in 1823 re ceived from Salvador diplomatic overtures for annexation or a protectorate — overtures which were later withdrawn by the disappearance of the danger of forced annexation to Mexico.
In 1823, with consent of Mexico the five Central American states were united into a national federation which subsequently adopted a constitution on the model of that of the United States and borrowed the code of Louisi ana.
Central American commissioners presented their credentials at Washington 10 Sept 1823. In 1824, Secretary Adams instructed Thomas N. Mann to visit Guatemala to obtain statistics and political information; and in 1825 the American government recognized the Federa tion of Central America, which in the same year was also recognized by Great Britain and the Netherlands. The first American diplomatic agent to the Federation, John Williams, was commissioned on 29 Dec. 1825; and the last American representative to the Federation, ap pointed in 1841, left his post in March 1842. The last Federation representative at Wash ington took his leave 16 March 1828.
On 5 Dec. 1825, the United States negotiated with the Federation a treaty of commerce which expired by its own limitations in 1837 and was never renewed. In April 1825, the American government received from Canaz, the representative of the Federation, a propo sal of co-operation in promoting the opening of a canal through Nicaragua, and, in 1826, through the influence of Mr. Williams, the Central American government contracted with A. H. Palmer of New York for the construc tion of the canal; but failure of plans caused Central America to open negotiations with a Holland company, whose plans failed by the political disturbances in connection with the separation of Belgium from Holland in 1830.
As a result of rebellions, the Federation was partially ended by 1833. It was practically dis solved by 1839 by the legislative decree of 1838 granting each member of the Union the privi lege of unrestrained action in the most im portant matters, and completely dissolved by 1847.
After the complete dissolution of the Fed eration American diplomatic representatives to the separate republics were first sent to Guate mala in 1848, to Salvador in 1849, to Nicaragua in 1851, to Costa Rica in 1852 and to Honduras in 1853. Diplomatic representatives of the sep arate Central American states were received at Washington from Nicaragua in 1849, from Costa Rica in 1851, from Guatemala in 1851, from Salvador in 1853 and from Honduras in 1854. A commercial treaty was negotiated with Costa Rica in 1851. A similar treaty, ne gotiated with Nicaragua in 1849 and at sub sequent periods, did not become operative.
Active American diplomacy affecting Cen tral America really began with the military occupation of California and the resulting Co lombia treaty of 1846 which was ratified in June 1848. The motive which attracted the American government to exercise a larger in fluence over the region was associated with the problem of the establishment and proper con trol of a new route to California. It was also connected with the development of canal plans by Louis Napoleon between 1844 and 1848, and consequent competitive English operations and plans in Central America, especially the occu pation of the Nicaraguan port of San Juan (Greytown) which precipitated the intervention of American diplomacy and the negotiation of the famous Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (q.v.) of 1850 which guaranteed the integrity and inde pendence of Central American territory and prepared the way for the extinguishment of any British claim of sovereignty or protectorate over the Mosquito Indians along the coast of Nicaragua —a claim which was finally termi nated by the English treaty negotiated by Wyke with Nicaragua in January 1860. On questions connected with these negotiations Central America requested and welcomed the support of the United States.