Mr. Seward to Mr. Nelson.
Sir: I have had the honor to receive and submit to the President of the United States your despatch of the 31st of October last, No. 231.
It gives me great pleasure to approve the earnest and judicious proceedings which you have taken in concert with other foreign representatives to induce the belligerent parties in Chili to desist from hostilities, and to inaugurate measures of pacification; and I cannot express too emphatically the President’s regret over the failure of these laudable efforts.
You are expected, however, to renew your good offices whenever in your opinion there shall be any reasonable ground to build a hope of success; and I have only one suggestion to offer for the guidance of your own highly approved discretion, which is, that in tendering such good offices it is eminently proper and wise to treat the two powers who are actually at war with equal consideration and respect. I have now, in the spirit of the remarks already made, to instruct you to seek an interview with Mr. Covarrubias, and to say to him that the President of the United States has abated nothing of his heretofore often-expressed desire for the establishment of peace between Chili and Spain; and that it seems to him that Chili has already exhibited on her part so much of chivalry and national spirit in accepting the war, and in the means she has taken for carrying it on, as to render it perfectly consistent with her honor to offer or accept negotiation with a view to peace.
By the President’s direction I have instructed Mr. Hale to address the Spanish government in the same sense and in the same spirit which are used in this despatch. It is thought not improbable that some others of the commercial powers would, if invited, join the United States in urging counsels of peace upon Chili and Spain.
But this government believes that representations made by the United States alone, without concert with other powers, are more in harmony with our own national character and institutions, besides being at least equally courteous to the belligerent nations.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Thomas H. Nelson, Esq., &c., &c., &c.