[Extract.]
Mr. Kilpatrick to Mr. Seward.
No. 6.]
Legation of the United States,
Santiago de Chili,
April 16, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the 19th of February, announcing the
revocation of the exequatur of Mr. Estaban Rogers, Chilian consul at the
port of New York. This fact I communicated to the Chilian government on
the 25th of March by transmitting a copy of your despatch, and on the
5th of the present month I received a reply, a copy of which I transmit
herewith, (A.)
On the 8th instant I received a communication from John Wheelwright, of
the firm of Alsop & Co, an American house in Valparaiso,
transmitting a petition from the foreign merchants of that city in
relation to a plan for arriving at the amount of the losses of each
nationality from the recent bombardment, and requesting that I would
submit the same to the diplomatic body resident in Santiago for their
united action in the matter. (See enclosures B, C.)
To this I replied on the 10th instant, respectfully declining to make any
farther attempts for a concerted action of the representatives of the
different nationalities interested, as all my previous efforts had been
abortive and fruitless. (D.)
The Italian consul general, on the 9th instant, visited me, and urgently
requested that I would convene the diplomatic corps, to try and adopt
some measures to assure the citizens of Valparaiso, who were extremely
fearful that their city would again be bombarded, that such a repetition
would not be permitted.
To him I replied, as I did to Mr. Wheelwright, that I must decline making
any further efforts for such united action.
The Spanish squadron was re-enforced last week by the arrival of the
frigate Almanza.
On the 14th instant they raised the blockade of Valparaiso and departed
for some destination not known as yet, but it is presumed that they have
gone north. I received, the morning of the loth, a note from Commodore
Rodgers,
[Page 408]
stating that he was
going north on the 16th to watch the movements of the Spaniards, and to
do what he could for the protection of our interests along the coast,
should the occasion require it.
The cordiality which for a long time has existed between the people of
Chili and our country has been interrupted, temporarily I trust and
believe, and a cold politeness, if not an actual ill-will, has taken its
place. Many causes have led to this. In the first place, Chili has been
led to believe that she would receive assistance, sooner or later, from
the United States, and those who have encouraged this idea are
responsible for the present dissatisfaction of the people of Chili,
caused by the course taken by Commodore Rodgers and myself in relation
to the bombardment of Valparaiso. But for those assurances, and I may
say promises, Chili would never have expected such aid, and consequently
would not now be so sadly disappointed. The arrest of Vicuña McKenna,
and the just refusal of our government to allow Chilian privateers to
leave our port was overlooked, but when the American squadron moved out
of the bay of Valparaiso, and allowed the Spanish fleet to batter down a
portion of the city of Valparaiso, the people of Chili felt, for the
first time, that they had been sadly deceived, and that they must now
rely on their own resources and fight their own battles. That this
bitter feeling towards Americans exists is perfectly natural. Chili
looked upon the United States as her best friend, and that friend has
failed to assist her in her hour of trial. But this feeling will not
last. When the excitement occasioned by the bombardment has passed away,
and the people begin to think again, they will see and admit that the
course taken by the United States was wise and right. In consequence of
the threat of the Spanish admiral that he would fire upon the town upon
the first indication of an attempt to defend it, they advised no defence
to be made, stating that they could not interfere in case of a defence,
thus leading the Chilian authorities to believe that they would
interfere in case it was not made, and then coolly refusing to act at
all when the bombardment came.
* * * * * * * * *
I have no fears, however, but that I shall succeed in maintaining the
friendly relations heretofore existing between the two governments,
feeling as I do the importance of a firm, true friendship between Chili
and the United States, for it involves the friendship of all the
republics now allied with Chili. I shall strain every nerve to remove
false impressions, correct errors made before my coming, and to
establish a friendship founded on truth and right conceptions of the
obligations under which nations are placed in their relations with one
another.
* * * * * * * * *
I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
A.
[Translation.]
Señor Covarrubias to Mr. Kilpatrick.
Sir: I have the honor to announce to your
excellency the receipt of your note of the 25th of March last, with
which you had the goodness to transmit to me a copy of the despatch
of his excellency the Secretary of State of the United States,
relative to the cancellation of the exequatur of Mr. Esteban Rogers,
consul of Chili in New York.
By the last mail I have written to the chargé d’affaires of the
republic resident in Washington, making to him the just observations
to which this case gives rise, and charging him to communicate them
to your excellency’s government through the proper channel.
Be pleased to accept the expression of the distinguished
consideration with which I am your obedient servant,
The Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary
of the United States of North
America.
[Page 409]
B.
Mr. Wheelwright to Mr. Kilpatrick.
Valparaiso,
April 7, 1866.
Sir: At the request of the foreign
merchants of this city, I have the honor to transmit herewith a
document relative to the losses sustained by the recent bombardment,
as well as suggestions regarding the mode of ascertaining the value
of foreign property destroyed, which they beg to submit to the
honorable diplomatic body resident in Santiago.
The object of this is to ascertain if its purport will so far meet
the approval of the diplomatic corps as to admit of an early
interview between the members thereof and a commission to be
appointed by the merchants to carry into effect what is therein
proposed.
Awaiting the appointment of a day and hour when, at the convenience
of the honorable body referred to, the said commission can proceed
to Santiago for the purpose designated, I have the honor to remain,
yours most respectfully,
General Judson Kilpatrick,
United States Minister.
C.
Foreign Merchants to Mr. Kilpatrick.
Valparaiso,
April 6, 1866.
Sir: Notwithstanding the repeated
declarations of the Spanish government and the late Admiral Pareja
and his successor, Don Casto Mendez Nunez, in command of the Spanish
forces in the Pacific, that, in the war now unhappily existing
between Spain and Chili, the interests of neutrals should be
respected, those neutrals placing unfortunately too much reliance on
the assurance referred to, and that, by the usages of war, a
bombardment of an unfortified port would not be attempted, have been
subjected to enormous losses.
You are aware, sir, that, on the 31st ultimo, this city was bombarded
by the Spanish vessels of war for three consecutive hours, with
shell and heated shot, and that it resulted in the destruction of a
large portion of the populated part of the town, and of two-thirds
of the custom-house stores, which are quite separated from the town,
and beyond which there are no habitations.
In these custom-house stores, as is well known, and was repeatedly
explained to the Spanish commander, the property belonged almost, if
not exclusively, to neutrals.
That property, by the wanton act of the Spanish forces, to the value
of many millions, has been entirely destroyed, and, not doubting
that our respective governments will claim against Spain for the
value of the property, we the undersigned, neutral merchants of
Valparaiso, take the liberty of addressing the present solicitation
through you to the diplomatic body of Santiago, to point out that,
in our opinion, the most just and expeditious manner of arriving at
the exact and true value of the property to be claimed for will be
to adopt the following course:
1. That the diplomatic body of Santiago, under the presidency of its
dean, should appoint a commission of five, seven, or nine persons,
and in case of unavoidable absence, an equal number of deputies.
2. This commission will investigate all claims, search the
custom-house registers, and strictly examine the books and other
authentic documents of claimants, in order to estimate, with the
most scrupulous exactness, the amount of loss sustained by each
one—separate statements being made up for each nationality.
3. The statements furnished, they will be handed in, accompanied by a
report to the diplomatic body in Santiago, in order that each member
of that body may be placed in possession of the particulars of the
losses, and that a copy of the report of the commission may be sent
to each consul in order that each claimant may obtain from his
representative a bona fide and certified
statement of the losses he has suffered.
The undersigned have the honor to remain, sir, your most humble and
obedient servants,
(Signed by 49 different firms.)
General Kilpatrick,
Minister Plenipotentiary of the United
States,
and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps,
Santiago.
D.
Mr. Kilpatrick to Mr. Wheelwright.
Legation of the United
States,
Santiago de Chili,
April 10, 1866.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication of the 7th instant, enclosing a
document relative to the losses sustained by the foreign residents
of Valparaiso
[Page 410]
by the
recent bombardment, and also suggesting a plan for ascertaining the
amount of the losses of each nationality, so that each claimant may
obtain from his representative a certified statement of the losses
he has suffered.
I am more than willing to do all I can in the matter, but such has
been the result of all my previous efforts to bring about a
concerted action of the diplomatic corps in relation to this matter,
or rather to one out of which this grew, that I must respectfully
decline making any further attempts in that direction. Let each
nationality act separately for itself. Let the consuls of the
several countries interested appoint a commission each for his
respective country, to investigate all claims for losses and make a
statement in accordance, which, certified by the consul as correct
and just, can then be forwarded to the home governments for their
action in the matter.
This plan can be carried out immediately, and with as good results as
the one proposed, which, in my opinion, would not be adopted by the
diplomatic corps were it laid before them.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
