Mr. Prevost to Mr. Seward.
No. 5.]
Legation of the United States,
Guayaquil, February 22, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency
that the government of Ecuador have formed a convenio
de alianza with the republics of Chili and Peru, under date of
30th of January last, which, however, was not published in the capital
until the 6th instant.
I send to your excellency, enclosed, a copy of the Nacional, of Quito,
the official organ of the government, which contains the convention of
alliance. The same paper contains an official note from Mr. Bustamente,
the minister of exterior relations, addressed to the Spanish chargé
d’affaires, announcing to him that the government of Ecuador have
assumed the character of belligerent against Spain.
All relations between Spain and Ecuador having ceased, the Spanish chargé
d’affaires, with the consul, will leave in the steamer that sails
tomorrow.
The government of Ecuador have not issued any circular to the diplomatic
or consular body, nor have they as yet specified a limit of time for the
ingress and egress of Spanish vessels. They have, however, ordered the
governor at this place not to allow any Spanish vessel of war to coal,
provision, or take any water.
As soon as it was known in Guayaquil that the government had assumed the
position of belligerent against Spain, cocoa, the main agricultural
production of the country, fell nearly forty per centum in price; and
the reason is very simple: Spain is the largest consumer of the
production of Ecuador, but it must be shipped to her in Spanish vessels,
otherwise a very heavy duty is required to be paid at the port of
entry.
With sentiments of high consideration, I have the honor to subscribe
myself your excellency’s most obedient servant,
L. V. PREVOST, Acting Secretary of
Legation.
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Convention of alliance, offensive and defensive,
concluded between Ecuador, Chili, and Peru.
definitive protocol.
In the city of Quito, capital of the republic of Ecuador, on the
thirtieth day of January, anno Domini eighteen hundred and
sixty-six, on invitation of his excellency Doctor Manuel Bustamante,
minister of foreign relations of this republic, met in the hall of
his office the honorable José Luis Quiñones, envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary of Peru, and the honorable José Nicolas
Hurtado, chargé of Chili, for the important purpose of effecting the
union and alliance of their respective governments in the war
against Spain, when his excellency Mr. Bustamente with full
authority and proper instructions, manifested explicitly—
That the government and people of Ecuador consider the cause of Chili
as eminently American; that community of interests will not allow
Chili to remain alone in the contest without the assistance of her
sister republics on this continent; that the unjust aggression of
Spain upon Chili is a menace to the honor, dignity, and rights of
that republic and the other republics of South America, and it is
their duty to join their forces and means in defence of that
sovereignty and independence which they jointly conquered in the war
for their political emancipation; and finally that they proclaim, in
the name of the government and people of Ecuador, the union and
alliance of the republics of Ecuador, Peru, and Chili.
The minister of Peru and chargé of Chili joined in the noble,
patriotic, and American sentiments of Minister Bustamente. Therefore
it was definitively agreed that the republic of Ecuador, from this
date, forms an offensive and defensive alliance with the republics
of Chili and Peru, and now makes common cause with them in their
present war against Spain. Finally they agree to make this protocol
permanent and final, to answer the purposes in view.
[Page 459]
In faith whereof, the ministers signed and sealed with their
respective seals three copies of the same tenor and purpose, in
presence of us, the undersigned, chief official in the department of
foreign relations, secretary of the legation of Peru, and official
of the legation of Chili.
[Seal.] MANUEL
BUSTAMENTE.
[Seal.] J. NICOLAS
HURTADO.
Juan Leon Mera,
Chief Official in the Department of Foreign
Relations.
José Manuel Suarez,
Secretary of the Legation of Peru.
Eusebio Larrain,
Official of the Legation of Chili.
[Untitled]
Department of Foreign
Relations,
Quito, February 7, 1866.
The undersigned, minister of foreign relations of Ecuador, addresses
the honorable chargé of her Catholic Majesty to inform him that, on
the 30th ultimo, in this capital, he signed, with the honorable
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Peru and the
honorable chargé of Chili, a solemn treaty of alliance, offensive
and defensive, in the present war between those republics and the
government of Spain, and that in consequence he has assumed the
character of belligerent, by force of powerful reasons that induce
this government to act in that manner.
With sentiments of esteem and profound consideration, the undersigned
declares himself the chargé’s very obedient servant,
His Excellency her Catholic Majesty’s Chargé
d’affaires.
[Untitled]
Interior Department Republic of
Ecuador, Department of State, Office of the
Interior,
Quito,
February 7, 1866.
As Ecuador has declared itself a belligerent in favor of the
republics of Chili and Peru, by an offensive and defensive pact of
alliance, recently signed on account of their war with Spain,
therefore the vessels of the Spanish squadron which are now
blockading the ports of Chili are forbidden to enter any ports of
this republic for provisions, coal, or water, or for repairs.
In virtue whereof, and by decree of the President of the State, I
make this known to you, so that, in case of necessity, you may
enforce this decree with the greatest stringency in the province of
your jurisdiction.
God preserve you.
The Governor
of the province of Guayaquil.
A similar despatch has been sent to the provinces of Menabi and
Esmeraldas.
