File No. 711.21/200.
[Untitled]
No. 10.]
American Legation,
Bogotá,
October 8, 1913.
Sir: In reference to your telegraphic
instructions dated September 29, I have the honor to enclose herewith
copies of the original Spanish
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text and English translation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs’ note
of the 6th instant in acknowledgment of mine dated October 1st, in
which, pursuant to your instructions, I made a formal offer of twenty
million dollars in full settlement of all our pending differences with
Colombia, to include also any claims Colombia might have against the
Republic of Panama.
I have reason to know that the terms in which my note was couched, made a
most favorable impression upon the President, the Minister, and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
With the help of the Committee and under the President’s direction, the
Minister will now proceed to draft a counter-proposition and in order
that it may come as near being acceptable as possible to the Government
of the United States, Dr. Urrutia will confer with me regarding the
respective points to be contained therein.
I understand that the counter-proposition will consist of a note
transmitting the essential conditions desired by Colombia in the form of
a project for a treaty. This draft treaty will consist of at least four
articles embodying the following cardinal points: one, moral reparation;
two, preferential privileges in the Canal; three, fixation of boundary
line; and four, money indemnification. In discussing these several
features it will be my earnest endeavor to keep the Colombian demands
within reasonable bounds.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure—Translation.]
The Colombian Minister for
Foreign Affairs to the American
Minister.
Foreign Office,
Bogotá,
October 6, 1913.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to refer to
the courteous note of the first instant, by which your excellency
has informed the Government of the Republic that the Government and
the people of the United States desire that everything that may have
marred or seemed to interrupt the friendship between the two nations
should be cleared away and forgotten; that your excellency’s
Government therefore desires to terminate the differences which have
arisen between it and the Republic regarding the reparation for the
losses, both moral and material, which Colombia has suffered by
reason of the circumstances accompanying the acquisition of the
rights which the United States now enjoys on the Isthmus of Panamá;
and that your excellency therefore offers in the name of your
Government the sum of twenty million dollars in full settlement of
all claims and differences pending between our two Governments and
between the Government of the Republic and Panamá.
I have received instructions from His Excellency the President of the
Republic to inform your excellency, as I have the honor now to do,
that the Colombian Government duly appreciates the sentiments and
desires of friendship and of justice expressed in your excellency’s
note.
In order to cooperate on its part in reaching that just and friendly
settlement which is desired by your excellency’s Government, my
Government will proceed to communicate to your excellency, with the
promptness and the attention which the matter requires, its ideas
regarding the bases of a possible and convenient arrangement. One of
these bases is the proper indemnity for damages and losses, which
will be opportunely considered in connection with the other
stipulations which the Republic deems necessary for the complete
solution of the claims and differences to which your excellency
refers.
The Colombian Government, in spontaneously concurring with that of
the United States in favor of a direct settlement of this matter,
hopes that it will prove feasible and effective and that in this way
it will not be necessary to continue
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its efforts looking to the acceptance of other
measures proposed by Colombia and which are still pending.
In expressing to your excellency these ideas and intentions of my
Government, I have [etc.]
