Mr. Washburn to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Your despatches of May 25th, No. 46, and of June 27th, No. 47, were received on the 8th instant.
Since my last despatch, No. 68, I have had no communication with any of the allied authorities, but have been awaiting your instructions, and now they have arrived, and are very clear, explicit, and peremptory, yet, owing to the extraordinary circumstances in which I am placed, they do not relieve me from my unpleasant position;
With your despatch No. 47 I received copies of instructions to General Webb, at Rio, and General Asboth, who, it was supposed, would be here, in which they are directed to demand their passports if I am longer delayed within the military lines of the allies. Unfortunately, General Asboth has not yet arrived, and Mr. Kirk had left for the United States before my return from Corrientes. Your previous instructions, therefore, that our minister here should demand explanations of this government, could not be executed, though the minister for foreign relations, Señor Elizalde, in acknowledging the receipt of a copy of my protest to President Mitre, said that his government was disposed [Page 602] to favor me in reaching my post, and only waited the concurrence of their allies to do so. I also have received a despatch from General Webb, at Rio, in which he informs me that the Brazilian government had given him assurances that no further objections will be made to my passing through to Asuncion.
But though no obstacle is put in my way, how am I to reach Paraguay? I cannot ask the Brazilians to send me through, for the first and only note I ever wrote to their special envoy remains unanswered to this day, and I do not care for, nor would I accept a letter from this government to President Mitre, requesting him to send me through, for I have had one such already, and he did not respect it.
Immediately on my return from Corrientes, I wrote to Admiral Godon, in obedience to your previous instructions, to furnish a war vessel from the squadron to take me to Paraguay. I sent my letter in duplicate, and by different means of conveyance, but as yet I have no answer from him. It appears that on receiving the instructions of the Secretary of the Navy to furnish me with a vessel of war if I should ask for it, he waited in Rio till it was about time to expect a letter from me, and then went north, and at the latest advices from Rio, as late as the 7th instant, he had not returned. I am, therefore, somewhat doubtful of what I ought to do in such embarrassing circumstances. It appears to me that I ought not to return to the United States until the arrival of General Asboth, for should he reach here soon after my departure, his position will then be even more embarrassing than mine is, and I am yet in hopes that Admiral Godon will not much longer delay in obeying the orders of the Secretary of the Navy. This whole difficulty has been caused by the strange course of the admiral. So strange does it appear to me that I am entirely unable even to make a guess as to what his future course will be, notwithstanding the Instructions he has received.
I am, sir, very truly, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.