No. 368.
Mr. Valera to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Washington, March 27, 1884. (Received March 28.)
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Spain, would not again trouble the honorable Secretary of State about the threats of sending armed expeditions to Cuba, which are constantly made by Spanish newspapers published in this Republic, especially in New York and Key West, if these threats [Page 505] were not made simultaneously with advices received by him to the effect that Carlos Agüero is organizing an expedition at Key West; he has a force of one hundred armed men, together with bomb shells and other destructive materials, which are to be used against us.
Although public feeling in the island of Cuba is not now favorable to another civil war, yet, if Aguero were to, land in Cuba, he might plunder and rob as he has done before; and, if he should sail from a port of this country, and be captured before he effected a landing, the Cuban authorities would be obliged to inflict a very severe punishment upon him and his companions.
At all events, Agüero’s expedition, just like any other organized by Cuban refugees, might, if it should sail from an American port, give rise to much unpleasantness. The undersigned therefore thinks that he is performing an imperative duty in advising Mr. Frelinghuysen of the design which it is apparently sought to accomplish, in order that, so far as this may be allowed by the means at the disposal of this Government, the evil maybe prevented, and that no conspiracy and the accomplishment of no plan may be permitted in this country for the disturbance of the public peace within the territory of a friendly nation.
The undersigned avails, &c.,