Mr. Worthington to Mr. Seward.
No. 3.]
Legation of the United States,
Buenos Ayres,
September 12, 1868.
Sir: The unexpected departure of a mail from
this port to-morrow affords me an opportunity of communicating to the
department the correspondence and circumstances attending my
presentation and reception as-minister resident of the United States to
the Argentine Republic. On the 31st of August I addressed to Señor
Rufino de Elizalde, minister of foreign affairs, a letter informing him
of my arrival, and requesting the appointment of a time for my
presentation to the President of the Argentine Republic, a copy of which
said letter is hereto annexed, marked A. On the evening of the same day
I received a reply to the same, a copy of which, together with a
translation of the same, is hereto annexed, both of which are marked B.
As I informed you in my dispatch
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No. 2, dated the 11th instant, my presentation was deferred, in
consequence of my sickness, by mutual verbal understanding, until the
11th instant, at which time I was waited upon by Señor Delfin B, Huergo,
sub-secretary of state, in company with an aide-de-camp of the
President, in the government carriage, which the President very kindly
put at my disposition, and conducted, in company with Mr. Hollister,
United States consul, whom I invited to be present at the ceremony, to
the governor’s mansion, where was provided a band of music and the usual
military display, which is part of a custom of the country attending
this ceremony.
On reaching the governor’s mansion I was most courteously received and
taken charge of by Señor Rufino de Elizalde, by whom I was presented to
his excellency the President, to whom I addressed the remarks hereto
annexed, marked C, a copy of which I had previously transmitted to the
minister of foreign affairs. I was received by the President, both in my
official as well as in my personal character, with every manifestation
of regard and good will, as indicated in his reply to my address, which
is hereto attached, with a translation of the same, marked D. The
President was surrounded by his entire cabinet, in the uniform of their
highest military rank, as well as by a large concourse of citizens who
had assembled to witness the ceremony.
After the exchange of remarks between the President and myself, which was
followed by a short personal conversation, I was presented to the
several members of his cabinet, from all of whom I received expressions
of admiration for our government, and their great desire to see
cultivated more intimately, if possible, the good relations between the
two governments. These ceremonies being concluded, I returned,
accompanied by the same escort, to my hotel, after which I made the
usual visits to the various officers of the government and members of
the diplomatic corps resident here.
All the circumstances attending this ceremony afford the most gratifying
assurance of the happy relation existing between the two governments,
and I feel confident that I will encounter no difficulty in preserving
this good correspondence.
Nothing of any consequence has developed itself since my last despatch,
except the speculation indulged in by the press as to who will succeed
Señor Sarmiento as minister to the United States. There seems to be
considerable unanimity in the belief that this distinction will be
accorded to President Mitre, a gentleman of fine martial bearing, and, I
learn, of fine cultivation and ability, and, withal, having a high
appreciation of the superior excellence and advantage of our system of
government and its institutions.
I have the honor to be, very truly, yours,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
A.
Mr. Worthington to Señor Rufino de Elizalde.
Legation of the United
States,
Buenos Ayres,
August 31, 1868.
I have the honor to communicate my arrival here as the minister of
the United States to reside near this government, and herewith
transmit a copy of a letter from the President
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of the United States accrediting me as
such, and respectfully request the appointment of a time and place
at which I may be admitted to present personally a sealed letter of
credence addressed by my government to his excellency the President
of the Argentine Republic. I also have the honor to inclose herein
the remarks which I shall address to the President of the Argentine
Republic in behalf of my government at said presentation.
With great consideration, permit me to subscribe myself, very truly
and respectfully, yours,
His Excellency Rufino de Elizalde,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
B.
[Translation.]
Señor Rufino de Elizalde to
Mr. Worthington.
Department of Foreign
Relations,
Buenos Ayres,
August 31, 1868.
I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your dispatch of this
date, by which you please to inform me of your arrival, and to
inclose a copy of the letter of his Excellency the President of the
United States, which credits you in the character of minister
resident to this government.
The President, to whom I have delivered the inclosed copy of the
speech you propose to address on presenting the credentials, has
fixed the 2d instant, at 1 o’clock p. m., in order to receive your
excellency with that purpose in the government house.
It is with pleasure that I avail myself of this occasion to offer Mr.
Worthington the assurance of my highest consideration.
His Excellency General Henry G.
Worthington,
Minister Resident of the United States, of
America.
C.
Mr. President: In presenting myself near
your government as the minister of the United States, I am
especially charged by the President of my government to communicate
to you the great satisfaction with which he regards the harmony and
the good understanding which has existed and which has been so
successfully maintained between the two governments. He therefore
has authorized me to express, in behalf of the Great Republic of the
North to her sisters of the South, the best wishes of my government
for the development of your resources, for the prosperity of your
people, and for the stability of our systems of government, which so
eminently testifies the excellence of republican institutions.
In commencing, Mr. President, my official relations with the
Argentine Republic, I am inspired with a confidence that those
relations, which have been so pleasantly maintained by my
distinguished predecessors, and which I shall be so careful to
preserve during my residence in your country, will conduce to the
benefit of both governments by a preservation of the happy
correspondence, and I assure your excellency that, both in my
personal efforts as in my official relation, nothing shall be left;
undone to contribute to that result.
And now I have the honor of presenting a letter from the President of
the United States to your excellency, accrediting me as minister to
reside near this government.
D.
[Translation.]
Sir: I am pleased with receiving the letter
which credits you as minister resident of the United States of
America to the government of the Argentine Republic; and I
acknowledge the fraternal wishes you express in her name for our
prosperity and aggrandizement.
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The analogy of our respective institutions and the common interests
of both countries will powerfully contribute, sir, as the result of
your mission, to render even stronger, if it be possible, the bonds
of perfect friendship which happily link them, testifying at the
same time the excellency of the republican principles they both
profess.
The people and government of the Argentine Republic do not forget
what they are indebted for to the Great Republic in the recognition
of their independence, and bearing in mind the, high examples given
them by her on the track they follow, I greet in their, name,
through your distinguished person, the people and government of the
United States, praying for their happiness.
