Mr. Lidgerwood to Mr. Seward.
No. 18.]
Legation of the United States,
Rio de Janeiro, August 1, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that, upon
the 23d of July, 1866, Commander F. B. Blake, commanding the United
States steamer Nipsic, in compliance with the instructions received by
him from acting Rear-Admiral S. W. Godon, fired a salute to the
Brazilian flag in the harbor of Bahia for the capture of the Florida in
that port.
I enclose a translated copy of an article taken from the Diario da Bahia
of July 22, 1866, which has been in all the Brazilian newspapers.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
WILLIAM VAN VLECK LIDGERWOOD. Chargé d’
Affaires.
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
Translated
extract from the Diario da Bahia
of
the 22d July,
1866.
The Nipsic man-of-war anchored in our port yesterday, sent by the
government of the United States to give a complete satisfaction to
us for the offence against the dignity of the empire, committed by
the capture of the Florida by the steamer Wachusett.
Full of inexpressible joy we announce to the public of this city the
magnificent scene of to-morrow; at 12 m. the above-mentioned steamer
will hoist to her mainmast-head the Brazilian standard, and will
salute it with twenty-one guns.
It is thus that a powerful nation assumes the eminent position which
its civilization has attained for it. It is thus that a great and
spirited people give, in the face of the civilized world, a public
and solemn proof of the sincerity of its professions of the sacred
principles of justice. We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of
proclaiming to the public of this capital the despatch which, upon
that subject, was addressed to his excellency the vice-president by
the illustrious commander of the Nipsic:
United States Steamer Nipsic,
Harbor of Bahia,
July 21, 1866.
Sir: The undersigned, commanding the
steamer Nipsic, has the honor to inform your excellency of his
arrival in this port, and to make known to your excellency that the
principal object of the visit of the undersigned at this time is to
carry out the instructions of the
[Page 318]
government of the United States to fire a
salute of twenty-one (21) guns to me flag of Brazil, and thus to
make the “amende honorable” for an offence committed by a United
States officer, which was at once disavowed by the government of the
United States.
Ever prompt to do justice, the government of the undersigned, so long
ago as October 28, 1865, issued the above instructions, but which,
from some irregularity, were sent to Valparaiso, and were only
received by the commander-in-chief of the United States squadron on
this station on the arrival of the late mail.
Therefore, if it be agreeable to your excellency, the undersigned
will hoist the Brazilian flag at the foremast-head of this vessel,
and fire a salute of twenty-one guns, at noon to-morrow, the 23d
instant.
The undersigned, in executing this duty, begs leave to express to
your excellency the undersigned’s sincere hope, that with the dying
echoes of the last gun will also expire any unkind feelings that may
exist in Brazil from the cause which has given rise to this
ceremonial.
The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to offer to your
excellency the assurances of the high consideration with which the
undersigned has the honor to be your excellency’s most obedient
servant,
FRANCIS B. BLAKE, Commanding United States
Steamer Nipsic.
Answer of the President.–First section.
President’s Palace of the
Province of Bahia,
July 21, 1866.
I have just had the happiness of receiving a despatch which Mr.
Francis B. Blake, commanding the United States steamer Nipsic, at
anchor in this port, addressed to me, communicating that the
principal object of his visit is to comply with the instructions of
his government saluting the Brazilian flag with twenty-one (21)
guns, in satisfaction for an offence perpetrated by a naval officer
of his country, whose conduct had been disapproved of by his
government, which, ever ready to act justly, had already, on the
28th of October of last year, issued its instructions upon that
point, but which, through error, had been sent to Valparaiso, and
only came to the hands of the commander-in-chief of the United
States squadron on the Brazil station by the last mail, and
declaring furthermore that on the 23d, at 12 m., the imperial flag
shall be hoisted to the main topmast-head of the ship under his
command, and that that flag shall be saluted with twenty-one guns;
stating, moreover, that he nourishes the sincere hope that with the
dying echoes of the last gun will likewise vanish all idea or
remembrance of resentment which may yet exist on the part of the
empire.
It behooves me, in reply, to state to Mr. Francis B. Blake,
commanding United States steamer Nipsic, that I am cognizant of the
fact that the principal motive of his visit to this port is to
salute the Brazilian flag, and I am much pleased to see that the
government of your country, appreciating the justice due to this
empire, did not hesitate to give a public satisfaction for an
offence committed against it while at ease, in the most perfect
cordiality; and believing in the sentiments which Mr. Francis B.
Blake manifests, I have only to assure him that the offended honor
of the country having been thus satisfied, not a vestige of
resentment can remain against a government which, in so solemn a
manner, proclaims to the civilized world that it does not measure
the right of the offended to a satisfaction by his power to exact
it, but, on the contrary, highly appreciates the just rights of a
people which has so well known how to value the close bonds of
friendship and consideration which have hitherto attached, and will
continue to attach still more, two nations which inhabit the same
continent.
I avail myself of this occasion to tender to Mr. Francis B. Blake the
assurances of my most perfect esteem and consideration.
Mr. Francis B. Blake,
Commanding United States Steamer
Nipsic.
