Señor Asta Buruaga to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In the number of the National Intelligencer of to-day I see that the government of your excellency suspended, on the 12th of the present month, the exequatur of the consul at New York, Don Esteban Rogers—a measure which, whatever may be its merit, I am persuaded will call forth the attention of the President of Chili, because of its having been taken without any intimation to this legation of the motives which have given birth to it.
I suppose this suspension of Mr. Rogers may be by reason of participation having been imputed to him in the proceeding about violation of neutrality which the agents of Spain have put in movement in New York. However, the exclusion of this legation, not merely in the withdrawal of the consul, but also in its not having been informed of it, makes me apprehensive that your excellency’s government does not wish to extend to Chili the urbanity and courtesy appropriate between friendly nations, in the policy of neutrality it has proposed to follow during the war made on my country by Spain.
To this belief in a feeling unfavorable to my government it is natural to incline, when the sudden disavowal of the consul of Chili is considered, and, above all, when attention is turned to the rigor with which the proceeding above indicated is followed up by receiving the merest accusations of Spanish agents interested in keeping up and perverting facts. In this way Spanish agents, who make boast of applauding the policy of negative neutrality of your excellency’s government, because it is favorable to them and very prejudicial to Chili, claim upon any pretext soever the intervention of your excellency, in order to take from my government even the possibility of counting upon the sympathies of this generous nation, or even legitimately to acquire the elements with which to become equal in the struggle with Spain, and defend itself against her unjust aggression.
Under these impressions, I believe it to be my duty to address myself to you, stating how painful will be to my government and the Chilian people the knowledge of the proceedings, so little friendly, so little considerate, towards that of Chili, which are deduced from the proceeding, followed in the dismissal of the [Page 420] said consul—a proceeding which, under analogous circumstances, taken by Chili, I do not doubt would have been looked upon by this government as offensive, and foreign to the good relations existing between both countries.
On this occasion I have the honor to renew to you the assurances of the very high consideration and esteem with which I am your excellency’s very respectful servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.