Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1870
No. 88.
Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Sir: I have the honor to send you herewith copies of a correspondence between the consuls general and consuls of Southern and Central America and myself, (including a letter from the minister of foreign affairs,) in relation to my according the protection of the Government of the United States to the arms, flags, residences, &c., of their respective consulates.
The inclosures are—
1. Letter of the consuls general and consuls to me.
2. My letter to the minister of foreign affairs.
3. The reply of the minister of foreign affairs to me; translation.
4. My reply to the letter of the consuls general and consuls.
Consuls general and consuls to Mr. Washburne.
Mr. Minister: The undersigned, E. Tibergheim Ackerman, consul general of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay; Jules Thirion, of the Dominican Republic; Gabriel Lafond de Lurcy, consul general of the republic of Costa Rica; B. Fourguet, consul general of the republic of Ecuador; Francisco Fernandez Rodella, consul general of the republic of Chili; Ludovic Janré, consul of the republic of Paraguay; Eugene Thirion, consul of the republic of the United States of Venezuela, considering that they are clothed with consular functions by Southern and Central American republics, who have no accredited diplomatic representatives in Europe, or whose chiefs of legation are absent from Paris; considering that, in the present grave circumstances and the possibility of the occupation of the city of Paris by the Prussian armies, who may attack the persons and property of neutrals whose governments have treaties of friendship and commerce with Prussia or with the German states at war with France; considering, finally, that the undersigned consular officers do not find themselves sufficiently protected, inasmuch as their isolated or collective action toward the Prussian government is deprived of that diplomatic character and sanction which can alone insure its efficiency; for these motives the undersigned, invoking the sentiments of union and fraternity which should unite states having republican institutions in common, have the honor to pray you, sir, in the name of the law of nations, of justice, and of humanity, to take under the official protection of the United States of America the chanceries of the above-mentioned republics.
The undersigned hope, sir, that in case of attack or the occupation of Paris, you will kindly interpose your good offices diplomatically with the Prussian headquarters, and take such measures as you may judge proper that the Prussian troops may be obliged to respect the arms, flags, residences, persons, and families of the undersigned, as well as their fellow-citizens, respectively, who may seek shelter with them, by covering in this manner the undersigned and the interests they represent with the powerful intervention of the United States Government.
It is worthy of a great power like the American nation to lend its protecting aid to sister and friendly republics who have not yet acquired the necessary development to make right stronger than force in Europe.
Such an act of good will on your part, sir, solicited by the undersigned, is perfectly legitimate, in view of events and of the present position.
It will be received gratefully by the governments of the undersigned, and will constitute [Page 124] a debt of gratitude which can only draw closer the bonds of active and cordial sympathy which bind them to the glorious republic founded by Washington.
The undersigned beg you, sir, to kindly receive the assurances of their highest consideration and of their profound respect.
JULES THIRION, Consul General de la République Dominicaine.
E. TIBERGHEIM ACKERMAN, Consul General of Uruguay.
GEO. LAFOND, Consul General of Costa Rica to France.
B. FOURGUET, Consul General of Ecuador.
FRANCISCO FERNANDEZ RODELLA, Consul General of the Republic of Chili.
LUDOVIC JANRÉ, Consul of the Republic of Paraguay.
EUGENE THIRION. Consul of the Republic of the United States of Venezuela.
Mr. E. B. Washburne to the minister of foreign affairs.
The following named consuls general and consuls at Paris, to wit, E. Tibergheim Ackerman, consul general of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay; Jules Thirion, consul general of the Dominican Republic; Gabriel Lafond de Lurcy, consul general of the republic of Costa Rica; B. Fourguet, consul general of the republic of Ecuador; Francisco Fernandez Rodella, consul general of the republic of Chili; Ludovic Janré, consul of the republic of Paraguay; Eugene Thirion, consul of the republic of the United States of Venezuela, who are clothed with consular functions by the Southern and Central American republics, state to me that they have either no accredited diplomatic representative in Europe, or that the chiefs of such legations as have representatives at Paris are absent from the city. Considering-therefore the grave circumstances at present existing in Paris, they have done me the honor to request that I might, as the representative of a sister and friendly republic, extend my good offices and friendly protection to the arms, flags, and residences of their consulates general and consulates, as well as to their fellow citizens finding themselves in Paris.
As I am without the means of communication with my Government on the subject, I shall assume that it would desire me, under the circumstances, to extend my good offices and protection in every proper manner, but with the knowledge and consent of the government of the national defense. I have the honor therefore to submit this matter to the consideration of your excellency, with a request that you may inform me if the consent of your Government will be given to me to extend my good offices and protection as herein indicated, and in a manner in conformity with the law of nations and the amity that exists between friendly powers.
I take this occasion to renew to your excellency the assurance of the distinguished consideration with which I am your excellency’s obedient servant,
Minister of foreign affairs to Mr. E. B. Washburne.
Sir: You did me the honor to write me on the 24th of this month to inform me of the wish expressed to you by the consuls general and by the consuls of the republics, viz: Dominican, of Uruguay, of Costa Rica, of Ecuador, of Chili, of Paraguay, and of Venezuela, to place under our protection, and to confide to your good offices, the arms, flags, and residences of the consulates, as well as their fellow countrymen residing in Paris.
I hasten to inform you that the government of the national defense, to whom I have submitted this request, has authorized me to receive it favorably. The foreign consuls [Page 125] certainly could not make a choice which would be more acceptable to us than that of the representative of the United States. However, as certain of them are French, it should be understood that (conformably, too, to what is stipulated in their exequaturs) the favor solicited by them is not to have the effect of keeping them personally from the obligations and duties imposed upon them in their quality of Frenchmen. The position in France of the citizens of the republic of South America, in time of war as in time of peace, is settled by treaties. As far as those republics are concerned which have made choice of Frenchmen as consuls, the application of the measures of favor stipulated in those treaties can extend only to the archives of the consulates and to the foreigners depending upon them, and this only for what depends upon the competency or the powers of the French administration.
Receive the assurances, &c., &c.
Mr. E. B. Washburne to the consuls general and consuls.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 22d instant, asking that, in the present grave circumstances existing in Paris, I might interpose my good offices to protect the arms, flags, residences, &c., of your respective consulates. Not being able to communicate with my Government on the subject, I took it for granted that on account of the warm feeling of friendship it feels for sister republics, it would most willingly have me assume all the good offices and protection which I could properly render in the premises.
I deemed it proper, however, before giving you this assurance, to advise the government of the national defense of your request, and to ask its permission to act in accordance therewith, in a manner in conformity with the law of nations and the amity that exists between friendly powers. I have had the honor to receive a reply from his excellency Jules Favre, the minister of foreign affairs, a copy of which I beg leave to inclose herewith for your information. In accordance, therefore, with the assent accorded by the government of the national defense, and with the qualifications indicated in the letter of the minister of foreign affairs, I have the pleasure of placing myself at your disposition and to offer you the good offices and friendly protection of my Government, so far as they may be in accordaace with usage and public law in such cases.
My Government will feel highly complimented by the distinguished mark of confidence shown to it by its sister republics of Central and South America. The Government and the people of the United States take the deepest interest in all that concerns their welfare and happiness, and they will cordially reciprocate the sentiments of fraternity and sympathy which you have so kindly expressed.
I have the honor to request that you will accept, individually, the assurance of the distinguished consideration with which I have honor to be, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
To Messieurs—
E. Tibergheim Ackerman, Consul General of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Jules Thirion, Consul General of the Dominican Republic.
Gabriel Lafond be Lurcy, Consul General of the Republic of Costa Rica.
B. Fourguet, Consul General of the Republic of Ecuador.
Francisco Fernandez Rodella, Consul General of the Republic of Chili.
Ludovic Janre, Consul of the Republic of Paraguay.
Eugene Thirion, Consul of the Republic of the United States of Venezuela.