Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part I

No. 498.
Mr. Hale to Mr. Stevens.

Department of State,
Washington, August 24, 1872.

No. 42.]

Sir: Your No. 37, under date of 8th July, has been received. At the same time comes information from Rio de Janeiro more hopeful of the maintenance of peace between Brazil and the Argentine Republic.

It is the earnest wish of this Government that the differences bejbween those two governments should be settled amicably, and the President omits no opportunity of giving expression to this wish.

Should the hope which the more recent intelligence from Rio, where General Mitre had arrived, not be justified by future advices, the President will consider in what manner he can most appropriately evince the desire of this Government to prevent hostilities between the two South American powers, and maintain the neutrality and peace of Uruguay.

In the event contemplated as possible in your dispatch, of Brazil interfering with the peace of Uruguay, and taking command of the harbor and city of Montevideo, while Uruguay shall have abstained from any hostile act against Brazil, and shall not have given any cause of provocation, you are authorized to remonstrate against “any unprovoked attack upon a peaceable power, and if any interference with the right of American commerce or of American citizens should occur, you will formally protest against the same, and make immediate and full report to this Department.

I am, &c.,

CHARLES HALE,
Acting Secretary.