Mr. Perry to Mr. Seward
Sir: Yesterday I had an interview with Mr. Benavides, in which I took occasion to speak upon the subject of your instruction No. 78, of March 21, this being the first opportunity on which a secretary of state for foreign affairs has been visible in Madrid since your instruction was received. Mr. Benavides immediately said that he thought Admiral Pareja was disposed to be a little hard upon Chili, though, in fact, that government had given serious motive for complaint. But Mr. Benavides said it was his policy and the wish of his government to avoid all possible complications with the republics on the Pacific coast, and he had sent out instructions to the Spanish representative in Chili not to insist on indemnity for the damages suffered by the Spanish fleet because of the refusal of Chili to allow their ships to coal in her harbors, though that damage was positive and the refusal of Chili an unwarrantable act.
[Page 537]He had instructed the Spanish representative not to ask any pecuniary indemnity for any of these unfriendly acts. But the Spanish consul had been assaulted, his consulate rifled, and the Spanish flag insulted. He had instructed the Spanish minister to require the disapprobation of these acts from the Chilian government, and that the flag of Spain should be saluted by order of the government of the republic, with which customary act, in such cases never refused, the Spanish representative was to announce all disagreeable incidents between the two governments terminated satisfactorily.
Mr. Benavides explained to me that in this case Admiral Pareja would not have the conduct of the negotiations, but the ordinary diplomatic representative of Spain resident in Chili.
I expressed to Mr. Benavides my own hope that on this basis cordial relations between Spain and the Chilian government would be promptly restored.
Your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington.