Mr. Seward to Mr.
Perry.
No. 19.]
Department of State, Washington, August 19, 1864.
Sir: I enclose for your information a copy of a
despatch of the 22d ultimo from Mr. Robinson, our minister at Lima, and
of the reply of this department, relative to the controversy between
Spain and Peru.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Horatio J. Perry, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Madrid.
[Page 96]
Mr. Seward to Mr. Robinson.
No. 119.]
Department of State, Washington,
August 17, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your despatch of July 22, No. 203, which relates to the
unpleasant controversy between Spain and Peru.
I regret to be obliged to infer from your despatch that the
government of Peru has not yet thought it expedient to send an
authorized agent to Madrid. It seems to the President that the steps
taken by the Spanish government reduce the dispute to a point of
mere diplomatic significance, upon which it would be unwise for
either party to incur the responsibility of delaying a settlement.
We have spoken in this sense to the government of Spain.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Christopher Robinson, Esq., &c., &c.,
&c.,
Lima.
Mr. Robinson to Mr. Seward.
No. 203.]
Legation of the United
States, Lima,
July 22, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your despatches Nos. 114 and 115. The former is marked
“confidential” and contains a copy of two despatches from the
minister of the United States at the court of Madrid, relating to
the present controversy between Spain and Peru. There was no extract
from any despatch of Mr. Dayton accompanying your No. 114 to me.
Yesterday I had an interview with Mr. Ribeyro, and communicated to
him the suggestion that Peru might, under the present circumstances,
send a minister plenipotentiary to Madrid, fully authorized to make
an arrangement of all the pending difficulties. He replied that, as
yet, the government of Peru had received no reply from Mr. Pacheco,
the minister of foreign relations of Spain, to the note of the 12th
of April, addressed to him by Mr. Ribeyro, and till an answer was
received it was impossible to determine whether their envoy would be
received in that capacity. Mr. Ribeyro expressed to me, in the
strongest language, the high appreciation which he personally, and
the government of Peru, entertained for the kind and friendly,
feelings and acts of the cabinet at Washington.
The near approach of the session of Congress, which opens on the 28th
of this month, and the expectations that the Spanish question will
be thoroughly examined and discussed by that body, in which
discussion will be presented fully and authoritatively the views of
the people of Peru, will undoubtedly induce great caution in the
conduct of the cabinet here. These discussions it is to be hoped
will modify materially the feeling too prevalent among the masses
that the difficulty should be settled by an appeal to arms. It
cannot be denied that the conduct of the Spanish officials in taking
possession of the Chincha islands is regarded among all classes of
the people as an intentional insult to the dignity and honor of
Peru, and till both the acts and language of these officials are
disavowed, the opinion among the Peruvian citizens is that there is
no place for negotiation.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c.,
&c.
