Office of the Historian

Mr. Dudley to Mr. Sherman.

Legation of the United States,
Lima, Peru, April 29, 1898.
No. 117.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt on the morning of the 26th instant of the following cablegram from the Department of State:

Washington, April 26, 1898.

Dudley, Minister, Lima:

A joint resolution of Congress, approved April 20, directed intervention for pacification and independence of the island of Cuba. The Spanish Government, on April 21, informed our minister at Madrid that it considered this resolution equivalent to a declaration of war, and that it had accordingly withdrawn its minister from Washington and terminated all diplomatic relations. Congress has therefore, by an act approved to-day, declared that a state of war exists between the two countries since and including April 21. You will inform the Government to which you are accredited, so that its neutrality may be assured in the existing war.

Sherman.

A copy of the note which I thereupon addressed to the Peruvian minister for foreign relations is inclosed herewith,1 and also the minister’s reply, which was received this morning. These notes have been given to the press by the Peruvian foreign office.

Upon reading the minister’s reply above referred to I sent the following cablegram to the Department of State:

Lima, April 29, 1898.

Sherman, Washington:

Peru announces its neutrality.

Dudley.

I have, etc.,

Irving B. Dudley.
[Inclosure.]
Foreign Office, Lima, April 27, 1898.

Mr. Minister: I have had the honor to receive the esteemed note of yesterday’s date, that, in obedience to instructions received from Washington, your excellency has been pleased to address me, in order to inform my Government of the late resolution of the American Congress, approved by His Excellency President McKinley, declaring that a state of war exists and has existed between the United States of America and Spain from the 21st instant.

My Government having attentively watched the development of events, the unfortunate conclusion of which your excellency announces to me, is pained to receive the notification of war declared between two great nations allied to our own by ties of friendship, and heartily desires the prompt conclusion of the struggle just begun, and will comply with the duty imposed upon it by observing the rights and obligations of a state of neutrality.

I am pleased to renew to your excellency the expressions of my high and distinguished consideration.

E. de la Riva-Agüero.
  1. Not printed.↩