Once the personal possession of Francisco Morazán, this collection of fiftyeight items is housed in the Latin American Library of Tulane University. Professor Griffith, who cannot be surpassed for his knowledge of Central American historiography, has prepared an introduction which explains the content of these articles and puts them in historical perspective.
Most of the collection concerns Morazán’s business transactions with the Honduran government, especially over matters of mahogany cutting and the creation and operation of a mint. A major figure in many of these activities is Marshall Bennett, whose career is sketched in Griffith’s Empires in the Wilderness.
The documents will not add much to our knowledge of Morazán, the general, or the statesman; but Central Americanists can thank Griffith for giving us easy access to some papers that will help them understand the commerce and society of that day a bit more and perhaps soften some of the bizarre characteristics attributed to Central America’s first hero.
