No. 53.
Mr. Reynolds to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
La Paz,
Bolivia, March 28, 1875.
(Received June 14.)
No. 58.]Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 40, in the matter
of Mr. Daniel Poso, I have the honor to transmit copy of official note to
the honorable minister for foreign affairs, and copy of his reply, with
translation.
It will be observed that the minister, in an interview with me, authorized me
to assure Mr. Poso that the government would not molest him in any way
whatever should he leave this legation to attend to his ordinary business in
the city, yet within a few days thereafter his house was entered and
searched, and, although the searching party did not make known the object of
the entry into his house, some of the party demanded of the servants where
Mr. Poso was.
Mr. Poso fully believed that his house was searched to find and arrest him,
and, in order to ascertain the facts, I dispatched the note of inquiry to
the honorable minister. I was glad indeed to receive the satisfactory reply
of the minister in the spirit in which it was written, otherwise I should
have been compelled to believe the government of Bolivia had acted
treacherously with this legation.
Asking for the approval of my Government in the premises,
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 58.]
Mr. Reynolds to Dr.
Baptista.
Legation of the United States,
La Paz, Bolivia, March 10, 1875.
No. 7.]To the Honorable Dr. Don M
Baptista,
The Minister of Foreign
Affairs:
Sir: Referring to our last interview in the
matter of Messrs. Daniel Poso, Criales, and Sol is, I am glad to report
to your excellency that upon informing Mr. Poso and Mr. Criales what you
authorized me to say, viz: “That the government preferred no charge of a
criminal character against them, and that they might proceed in any
business they desired without molestation from the authorities in this
city,” they expressed great appreciation and thankfulness for your
generous assurance given, and manifested a desire to return to their
domiciles, yet Mr. D. Poso concluded to remain a few days more in the
room of this legation.
[Page 88]
They authorized me to thank you in their behalf for assurances you were
kind enough to transmit to them through this legation. I am now informed
that a few days after our interview referred to, when those assurances
were given to me, a squad of soldiers, under charge of an officer of
police, entered the house of Mr. Poso without showing any warrant of
authority, and thoroughly searched all the rooms without even stating
the object of their search, and left the house without making any
arrest.
It is the belief of Mr. Poso, and also of his friends, that the search
was made in order to find and take in charge his person. This I cannot
believe, in view of the assurances made to me by your excellency, and I
respectfully ask at your hands an explanation of the search made on the
3d instant in Mr. Poso’s house, if compatible with the public interests
of your government, so that I may be able to set at rest the groundless
charge of an attempt to make an arrest of one whom the government,
through your excellency, assured me would not be molested.
You are well aware that the cases of Messrs. Poso and Criales have been
reported to my Government, as I stated to you, and, while awaiting reply
from the State Department, it would cause much embarrassment if either
of them should be arrested or in any way molested by the Bolivian
government, and I would respectfully ask that due notice be given this
legation before any proceeding is commenced against either of them.
Renewing my assurances of high consideration for your excellency, and
again extending the cordial friendship manifested by my Government for
the welfare of the constitutional government of the Republic of
Bolivia.
I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. M. REYNOLDS,
United States
Minister-Resident to Bolivia.
(Inclosure 2 in No.
58.—Translation.)
Dr. Baptista to Mr.
Reynolds.
Sir: I have the honor to respond to your
dispatch of date on yesterday.
The classes of the mutinous [persons] of the month of December are fully
described by legal tribunal in the “Rejemen Legal,” No. 62, law page,
and first column, they are registered.
Mr. Daniel Poso is not found embraced in any class of those enumerated,
and he is safe against all proceedings or judgments which may emanate
from his antecedents. Neither should he fear any interposition whatever
on the part of the government authorities by reason of his present
conduct, nor from henceforth, or in the future, should it be, as
heretofore, free from revolutionary agency politically.
The employment of the police that searched the house of Mr. Poso had no
other motive than to ascertain if, according to notice received by them,
they could find hidden in said house a mutinous agent who was sent from
Puno. The deputy of police did wrong in not stating to Mr. Poso the
object of his mission, [search.]
This ministry has no official knowledge of what Mr. Adolfo Criales is
charged, as embraced in any of those heads of recorded classifications;
but the press of this city point him out as subject to liabilities of
classes No. 1 and No. 3.
If the common courts of justice of the county proceed against him in
consequence, the government will not intervene or interrupt the
proceedings.
These explanations conclude or embrace those I have the honor to give to
your excellency; and, in conclusion I repeat, with all consideration,
your polite and constant servant,
To His Excellency the Honorable Minister-Resident
from the United
States of North America, present.
