Mr. Seward to Mr. Perry.
Sir: With the instruction from the department, No. 62, of the 18th of March last, Mr. Hale was furnished with a copy of the answer of the Chilian minister for foreign affairs, of the 30th of January, to the offer of this government to mediate between Chili, and other Spanish American republics, and Spain, for the purpose of bringing about a peace.
That answer was not definitive, but expressed a wish for consultation with the other republics at war with Spain. A copy of General Kilpatriek’s despatch,* No. 49, of the 1st of May last, with a translation of the note of Mr. Covarrubias to which it refers, is herewith transmitted.
It will be seen from this that Chili proposes to adhere to the offer of the United States, but only upon precedent conditions which this government is not authorized to accept.
Acting, however, in a spirit of perfect equality, the President directs me to submit the reply of Chili to the consideration of Spain. Such terms as Spain may propose will be made known to Chili
The substance of the despatch of General Kilpatrick was made known to Mr. Goñi soon after the despatch reached here.
It was also the President’s intention that the despatch itself should at once have been communicated to the legation at Madrid. By some oversight, however, that intention has not until now been carried into effect.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Horatio J. Perry, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
- For enclosure see correspondence with the United States minister to Chili.↩