[Extract.]
Mr. Webb to Mr.
Seward.
No. 58.]
Legation of the United States,
Petropolis,
February 6, 1868.
Sir: General Asboth, the United States minister
resident at Buenos Ayres, died on the 21st January.
* * * * * * * *
I sent to the Presidents of the Argentine and Uruguayan Republics copies
of my communication to the government of Brazil, renewing the [Page 264] tender of good offices. You
will find a copy of my letter inclosed, marked B.
* * * * * * * *
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Extract.]
Mr. Webb to Mr. Hollister.
Legation of the United States in
Brazil,
Petropolis,
February 1, 1868.
Sir: In consequence of the impossibility of
the late General Asboth’s having received instructions from
Washington, which left here on the day of his death, it has become
my duty to renew to the Argentine and Uruguayan Republics the tender
of the good offices of the United States, in connection with the war
in the river Plate, which were rejected last year. You will oblige
me, therefore, on the receipt of this, by delivering in person the
letter addressed to the President of the Argentine Republic, and by
mailing for Montevideo the one addressed to the President of
Uruguay.
* * * * * * * *
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Madison E. Hollister, Esq., Consul of the United States, Buenos
Ayres.
Mr. Webb to the President of the Argentine Republic.
Legation of the United States in
Brazil,
Petropolis,
February 1, 1868.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
from the United States, accredited to his Imperial Majesty the
Emperor of Brazil, has just been apprised of the death of the
minister resident of the United States accredited to the Argentine
Republic. This melancholy event leaves the United States without any
representative near your excellency, invested with the necessary
diplomatic powers, to convey to the Presidents of the Argentine and
Uruguayan Republics a renewal of the tender of good offices made by
the United States, in 1867, for the termination of the pending war
between the allies and the republic of Paraguay. And, in
consequence, it becomes the duty of the undersigned to transmit to
your excellency a copy of a communication made by him to the
government of Brazil on the 27th ultimo.
If the late minister to the Argentine Republic had been alive when
the mail from Washington, of the 25th of December, 1867, reached
Buenos Ayres, beyond all doubt he would have conveyed to your
excellency a similar communication. But Providence having interposed
to prevent such a proceeding, it devolves upon the undersigned to
convey to your excellency the earnest desire of the people of the
United States to see peace restored on the La Plata, and the tender
of the good offices of their government, to aid in bringing to a
close the pending war between the allies and Paraguay.
The undersigned, therefore, in transmitting to your excellency a copy
of his communication to the government of Brazil, has the honor to
request that you will be pleased to consider it addressed also to
the government of the Argentine Republic. And the undersigned is
most happy to avail himself of the opportunity thus presented of
conveying to your excellency the expression of his personal esteem
and most distinguished consideration.
J. WATSON WEBB.
His Excellency the President
of the Argentine Republic.
N. B.—I addressed a precisely similar note to the President of
Uruguay.
* * * * * * * *
