Mr. Perry to Mr. Seward.

No. 13.]

Sir: I have been prevented, by my recent illness and the pressure of affairs, from communicating to you till this moment the import of various [Page 265] conversations which I had with Mr. Calderon Collantes, minister of state, previous to entering the protest of June 19, upon the subject of the commercial relations of the two countries and the West Indian colonies.

I confess this subject has been a favorite with me ever since I succeeded, in 1854, in inducing the Spanish government to consent to negotiate with me for the conclusion of a commercial treaty upon the liberal and advantageous basis of the eleven articles then drawn up and sent to the State Department, accompanied with this offer on the —— September of that year.

On entering again upon the discharge of the duties of this legation, I took an early opportunity, therefore, to sound the dispositions of the present minister of state on this subject, as well as the feeling of other officers and personages influential in this government.

In no quarter has the idea of arranging the commercial intercourse of the two countries upon a more liberal basis been repelled. The minister of state told me, without hesitation, that he would enter with me upon the work of negotiating a treaty for this purpose readily, and with the idea that we should find no great difficulty in bringing it to a successful conclusion.

I mentioned, especially, the subject of the Cuban flour duties, and received the reply, now as in years before, that these would be yielded by Spain, and the Spanish colonial market thrown open to the introduction of our grains and provisions of all kinds.

Some compensation, or show of compensation, to the Castilian wheat-growers may be asked in the form of a reduction of our duties on the cheap wines of Castile; and whilst I see no great objection to such an arrangement, I am, at the same time, persuaded that practically it would amount to little in its effects either upon our revenue or upon the agricultural interests of Castile.

The motive of these conversations was to assure myself, for your information, what were the present wishes and dispositions of the Spanish government on this subject, prior to that coolness in our relations which must follow the presentation of the protest of June 19. I repeat, I have found these dispositions, now as heretofore, entirely favorable to the object mentioned, and I could have undertaken to carry a negotiation on this subject to a conclusion satisfactory to you, and highly advantageous to our people interested in the trade with the Spanish colonies.

As to the convention for the settlement of claims, which was signed by Mr. Preston, the minister of state expressed his regret that it had not received the ratification of the Senate, but had no doubt we should be able to arrange it so as to avoid the objections of that body. Other more pressing affairs induced me not to go much into the matter in the absence of your instructions.

But may I inquire what objection there would be on the part of the present administration, or of the Senate, to such a convention for this purpose, as I had the honor of offering to the acceptance of the administration of President Pierce, in September, 1854, a convention on the model of that concluded with Great Britain in February, 1853, free from especial clauses in reference to any particular claim, and embracing all claims by citizens or subjects of either country on the government of the other, without designation nor exception of any?

Should any change of circumstances lead you to recur to this subject, it will perhaps be useful to know that such an arrangement can be made.

With the highest respect, sir, your obedient servant,

HORATIO J. PERRY.

Hon, William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.