Mr. Hale to Mr.
Seward
No. 58.]
Legation of the United States of
America, San Sebastian, Madrid,
September 15, 1866.
Sir: As I advised you in my despatch No. 49,
dated August 20, 1866, on the 16th day of August I communicated to the
Spanish minister of state the substance of your despatch No. 30, dated
May 23, 1866, and on the 20th of the same month, in accordance with the
wishes of the minister of state, I communicated to him from this place
an informal statement, in writing, of the substance of what I had said
to him. I did not retain a copy of that statement which I sent to the
minister, for it was merely an informal statement of my own of what I
had said to him, and was a faithful and literal abstract of your
despatch to me.
I enclose you herewith a copy of the letter which the minister of state
has sent me in reply to said communication, and a literal translation of
the same.
I am, with much respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D.
C.
[Translation.]
Señor de Calonge to Mr. Hale
Office of the Minister of
State, Madrid,
August 30,
1866.
The minister of state of her Catholic Majesty has had the honor to
receive the note which the minister plenipotentiary of the United
States was pleased to send him from San Sebastian, of the date of
the 20th of the present month, transmitting the substance of a
communication which the Secretary of State of the Union had directed
him to make. The undersigned, appeciating as they merit the express
and reiterated protestations which are contained in said note, as
well on the part of the President of the United States as of the
government, that neither the one nor the other have the most remote
idea of intervening, either directly or indirectly, in those matters
which belong to our own exclusive jurisdiction, and taking into
account the sentiments of entire respect and good will towards Spain
which are expressed in said note, finds no difficulty in assuring
the minister of the United States that the government of her
Catholic Majesty, in giving its attention at an opportune time and
occasion to the important subject of slavery existing in the
provinces of Cuba and Porto Rico, will do so, in the exercise of
their own right and in accordance with principles which they have
ever sustained, without permitting their entire liberty of action to
be prejudicially influenced by exterior agencies or influences of
any kind. The undersigned asks the minister of the United States
that in informing the Secretary of State of the Union that the
government of Spain is advised of the communication to which he
refers, he would inform
[Page 580]
him that the President of the United States is correct in having no
fear that his motives in making this communication have been
received in a bad spirit, or misinterpreted by the minister of her
Catholic Majesty.
The undersigned improves this opportunity for reiterating to Mr. John
P. Hale the assurances of his most distinguished consideration.
The Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States.
