Guatemala, Honduras,
Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) on the declaration of a Mexican
republic, and in July 1823 combined to form the Republic of the United
States of Central America. The Liberal or Federalist party, which was
supreme in Honduras, found itself opposed by the Conservatives,
including the clergy and former Spanish officials, who were very
influential in Guatemala. A bitter and protracted struggle ensued. In
1837-1839 a Conservative rising, under Rafael Carrera, president of
Guatemala, resulted in the overthrow of the Liberals, under General
Francisco Morazan of Honduras; and in 1842, after a vain attempt to
restore the Federal republic, Morazan was captured and shot. A fresh
union of the republics (except Costa Rica) was concluded in 1842, and
dissolved in 1845. The year 1850 was signalized by the conclusion, on
the 19th of April, of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty (q.v.) between Great
Britain and the United States, which was designed to facilitate the
construction of an interoceanic canal. The history of this project is
given in detail under PANAMA CANAL. One important result of the treaty
was the abandonment, in 1860, of the British protectorate over the
Mosquito Coast. This event had been preceded by a decade of political
disturbances. In 1850 Honduras, Salvador and Nicaragua had combined to
restore federal unity; but their allied armies were defeated by the
Guatemalans under Carrera. In 1856 the American adventurer, William
Walker, endeavoured to usurp the government of Nicaragua; in 1860 he
invaded Honduras and was captured and shot. His object was to assist the
slave-holders of the United States by adding new slave-states to the
Union. A further attempt to restore federal unity failed in 1885, and
its promoter, Justo Rufino Barrios, president of Guatemala, lost his
life. In 1895 the Greater Republic of Central America was formed by the
union of Nicaragua, Salvador and Honduras; and a constitution was framed
providing for the admission of Guatemala and Costa Rica; in December
1898 it was dissolved, as unsatisfactory to Salvador. On the 4th of
November 1903 Panama, which had since 1863 formed part of Colombia,
declared itself an autonomous republic. Its independence was immediately
recognized by the United States, and shortly afterwards by the European
powers. The United States also forbade the landing of any Colombian
force on the territories of Panama, and thus guaranteed the security of
the new state.