Mr. Perry to Mr. Seward
Sir: Your despatch No. 76, of March 15, has reached me at a time when I find it a little difficult to get the attention of this government.
My despatch of the 11th instant informed you of what scenes Madrid is now the theatre.
The sudden death of a cabinet minister, the usual seclusion of the holy week, capped by the serious illness of Mr. Benavides, minister of state, have prevented me from seeing that minister upon the subject of your instruction. In this state of things I have sought the Duke of Valencia at his private residence, and stating that I found myself practically without a minister of state with whom to treat, opened the matter of withdrawal by Spain from her policy declared in 1861, and from the concession of belligerent rights to rebel cruisers, urging the same reasons before reported as used by me in conferences with Mr. Benavides.
I also took the liberty of reading to the Duke a part of your instruction. He seemed to be penetrated with a conviction of the justice and reasonableness of what was asked, and begged me to put the request into the form of a note addressed to the minister of state, and let him know when I sent it.
I immediately wrote the note, dated 18th instant, addressed to the minister of state, and sent it under cover to the Duke of Valencia.
When I called again to-day he was very much occupied and, I did not send in my name, but shall hope to see him to-morrow.
Meantime Mr. Benavides, who was very much affected by the death of his old friend Alcalá Galiano, late minister of public instruction, has a severe attack of acute rheumatism, (as it is described,) and his friends have carried him away out of Madrid today to some thermal sulphuric baths in Aragon.
I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington.