Mr. Hovey to Mr.
Seward
No. 50.]
Legation of the United States,
Lima, Peru,
January 14, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your despatch No. 32, in relation to the desire of the United
States for peace between the South American republics and Spain. I
communicated the whole of said despatch in a note addressed to his
excellency D. T. Pacheco, minister of foreign affairs.
On the 9th instant I received from Mr. Pacheco enclosure No. 1, (see copy
of original and translation,) in which he returns the thanks of his
government to the United States, but states that the time has not yet
arrived when the generous offer of the President can be accepted.
On the 8th instant I received your despatch No. 36, containing a pioposed
plan of mediation. I immediately transmitted the same to the minister of
foreign affairs and on the 11th instant received his answer, in which he
states that as soon as the allied governments can be consulted a
definite answer can be given. (See enclosure No. 2, with copy and
translation of original.)
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H.Seward, Secretary of State,
Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
Señor Pacheco to Mr. Hovey
No. 1.]
Lima,
January 8, 1867.
I had yesterday the honor of receiving your excellency’s
communication dated the 3d instant, in which I am informed that from
the report of a conversation held between the supreme chief and your
excellency, transmitted to the President of the Union by your
excellency, the President has directed your excellency to inform the
supreme chief that the United States ardently desire the
establishment of peace in South America; that they will regard with
pleasure any measures which may be proposed towards this end, and
will not embarrass the negotiations initiated by England and France,
but rather will co-operate with such action as may hasten the
desired pacifications.
[Page 736]
The supreme chief, to whom I communicated the contents of your
excellency’s note, ordered me to express the sincere gratitude he
experiences for the laudable desires animating the President. He has
ordered me, moreover, to make known to your excellency that when he
called on you on the 8th November last, to inform your excellency
concerning the action of France and England, which through their
representatives had been tendered to him, he desired to keep your
excellency and the government of the United States informed upon all
that passed, so that no misunderstanding might take place from the
fact of considering the good offices of France and England while an
analogous proposition from the government at Washington was pending.
And to give, on that occasion, a new proof of his sincerity, the
supreme chief expressed to your excellency his opinion that
insuperable obstacles would prevent the acceptance of the good
offices of France and England.
The supreme chief also regrets that the moment has not yet arrived to
avail himself of the co-operation, as efficacious as important, of
the President of the Union, to second the negotiations initiated by
England and France.
I reiterate to your excellency the assurance of my very distinguished
consideration.
His Excellency the Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America.
[Translation.]
Señor Pacheco to Mr. Hovey
No. 2.]
Lima,
January 10, 1867.
I have had the honor of receiving your excellency’s valued despatch
of the 8th instant, in which I am informed that in consequence of a
resolution adopted by the House of Representatives of the United
States, recommending the Executive to offer his good offices to the
nations at war in South America, your excellency submits to the
Peruvian government various propositions made by the United States
and having for their object the re-establishment of peace between
the allied republics of the Pacific and Spain.
Having communicated to his excellency the supreme chief the contents
of your excellency’s despatch, he has ordered me to acknowledge its
receipt and to state to your excellency that as soon as he may be
able to confer with the governments of the republics allied with
Peru, he will transmit to your excellency a definite answer to the
propositions of the United States.
I have the honor to reassure your excellency of my highest
consideration.
His Excellency the Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America.
