Señor Asta Buruaga to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to address myself to your excellency by instructions from my government, in order to express to you the high appreciation it has made of the friendly and kindly disposed solicitude of that of your excellency for the re-establishment of peace with Spain, manifested in the esteemed note of your excellency, dated 19th of April last, in consequence of an invitation held out to your excellency by the cabinet of Madrid, and to assure your excellency that the inclinations of Chili have been always favorable to an arrangement which should consult the honor, the safety, and the legitimate interests of herself and her allies. But my government believes that, while the suggestions which yours proposes to itself to make as serving as a basis for the negotiation which is in contemplation, are not known to it, it would not be possible for it to agree upon and decide, in concert with its allies, on suitable terms of reply to the above cited esteemed note from your excellency.
However, the government of Chili, since the barbarous act of bombardment of Valparaiso, cherishes little hope of coming to a pacific settlement, or that Spain lends itself to reparation of the injuries which its conduct has brought on the nations of America, nor does it promise itself much from the sentiments of loyalty from the Spanish cabinet when it adverts to the fact that at the time it was soliciting the good offices of the government of your excellency, it was sending orders to the Pacific to bombard an undefended mercantile port.
Leaving the instructions of my government thus complied with, I have the honor to renew to your excellency the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.