Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Congress

Mr. Washburn to Mr. Seward.

Corrientes, June 15, 1866.

Sir: Since my last despatch of the 8th instant, there has been no movement of importance on the part of the allies against the Paraguayans, and the latter are believed to have been equally inactive. The allies are waiting for re-enforcements, and it is thought they will soon be joined by Baron Port Alegre with a large cavalry force, of which troops the allied army is greatly in want. The horses which they took into Paraguay when they first crossed the river have nearly all died of starvation, and unless Port Alegre’s troops engage the Paraguayans immediately on their arrival their horses must fare like those that preceded them. Where the allies now are there is no grass whatever, and they must get possession of more Paraguay territory than they now have or else their horses must starve to death.

We hear it reported here that the Brazilian government is still busily engaged in raising troops to send to Paraguay, and it is certain that it has several more iron-clads on the way to the Tres Bocas, three of which are already between here and the mouth of the river. It seems hardly possible, however, that they can be meant for the Paraguay war. The Brazilian fleet now at the confluence of the Paraguay and Parana is more powerful than was ever seen in South America before the present war. Yet it has done nothing except at a safe distance, even for wooden vessels, to fire on Fort Itapiru, and Admiral Tamandare refuses to go to Paraguay and attack Curupaiti or Humayta until the army shall have compelled their evacuation by the Paraguayans. Hence the inference is that the Brazilians are gathering together this immense fleet, not so much in order to conquer the army of President Lopez as to be in a condition to make the most of their success when the conquest shall have been achieved. As I have said before, it is believed by many that the conquest of Paraguay will be but the beginning of a war for the possession of the provinces lying on the left bank of the Parana and Plate rivers, including the republic of Uruguay.

I hear nothing later from President Mitre in regard to my request to be permitted to pass through the lines to Paraguay. As more than two months have elapsed since he first told me he wished to consult his government on the matter before giving an answer, and one month since he wrote me that he had called upon it a second time for its decision, I yesterday sent him a brief note saying that as it required only twelve days for me to send a letter to Buenos Ayres and get an answer to it, I thought it not unreasonable that I should, after so long a time, expect a reply without any further delay.

I send herewith a copy of this letter.

I am, most respectfully, your obedient and humble servant,

CHARLES A. WASHBURN.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Mr. Washburn to President Mitre.

Corrientes, June 14, 1868.

Sir: The letter which your excellency did me the honor to address to me, bearing date May 19, 1866, was duly received by me, and at the time of its reception I did not suppose it would ever be necessary to reply to it, as from the assurances therein given I did not doubt but that a definite answer would be soon given to my oft-repeated question, whether your excellency would permit me to pass to the country to which my government had ordered me to return, and to which I was already accredited as minister resident, or not. I had before that time ascertained that only twelve (12) days were necessary for me to receive an answer from Buenos Ayres to a letter despatched from here, and as in your last letter your excellency had informed me that you had, before then, already called on your government, for a second time, for its decision on the matter in which I was concerned, I could not doubt but long before this I should have received a final reply to my long-mooted question. But it is now nearly a month since the date of your last letter, and more than two months since I was first informed of your desire to refer the subject again to your government, and yet I have not, up to this time, been favored with a reply. I trust, therefore, I may not be thought hasty or impatient if I again ask that such reply may be given me without any further delay than may be required for your convenience.

I take this occasion to reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my most distinguished regard and high consideration.

CHARLES A. WASHBURN.

His Excellency Brigadier General Bartolome Mitre, President of the Argentine Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Armies.