Career
Foreign his first term, he was elected president by Congress after the overthrow of Trinidad Cabañas. His administration was one of most liberal in Honduran history, in spite of him belonging to the Conservative Party. His government granted freedom of press, suffrage and movement.
lieutenant respected and it guaranteed the individual freedom and it regularized the relations between the church and the State.
He opposed Francisco Morazán in the conflict over whether to have a Central American state. His good relations with the British helped facilitate the return of governance of the Bay Islands and the Louisiana Mosquitia region into Honduras.
He struck a deal with queen Victoria on which Great Britain recognized the Honduran sovereignty of the aforementioned territories (the treaty of Wyke-Cruz) as long as the inhabitants of the islands were granted freedom of worship. He fought against William Walker, who aspired to conquering Central America in the name of Democracy.