[Extract.]
Mr. Webb to Mr.
Seward.
No. 65.]
Legation of the United States,
Rio de Janeiro,
April 25, 1868.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose the official
replies of “the allies” to my renewal of our tender of our “good
offices.” Circumstances beyond
[Page 272]
my control render it impossible to furnish translations by this steamer,
and therefore I forward the original.
“The allies” assume that the war in the river Plata is virtually at an
end. The future call upon them for men and money will be the best
commentary upon the accuracy of this assumption.
Joáo Silviera de Souza has been appointed minister of foreign affairs,
vice Albuquerque, deceased.
* * * * * * * *
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
Senhor Ellauri to Mr. Webb.
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Montevideo,March, 1868.
Mr. Minister: The Oriental government had
the honor to receive, in due time, your communication, dated the 1st
of February last, addressed to the President of the republic, and
containing a copy of your note to the minister of foreign affairs
for the empire of Brazil, renewing, by order of your government,
your good offices for the settlement of the war now carried on by
the allied countries against Paraguay, hoping, by an amicable
intervention of the United States, to come to a solution that may
prove satisfactory to the belligerents.
Recent lamentable events that have occurred in this city, now known
to the world, deeply disturbed the government internally, and
prevented a more prompt reply to your important communication; but
now that the country is restored to its constitutional order, the
President thinks this a propitious” moment to answer your note, and
instructs the undersigned to do so in the following manner:
Some time ago the worthy minister of the United States, in the name
of his government, sent to the minister of the republic a
communication similar to the one you have just sent, expressing a
sincere wish to settle the question now debated between the allied
countries and Paraguay in a just and honorable manner.
At that time the provisional government regretted to be obliged, for
reasons communicated to your government through its minister, to
reject the mediations so freely and sincerely offered.
We are sorry to say, Mr. Minister, that the same reasons still exist
for refusing the pacific proposition of your government, and
therefore the President, through the undersigned, respectfully
informs you that it is impossible to take the note of the United
States government into consideration in such a manner as to receive
the proposed result, because the same reasons given to your
government by our minister for not accepting the proposal still
exist. All we can say in this communication is to request you to
thank your government, in the name of this republic, for the new
proof of friendship and interest for the well-being of this country
which has just been received from the North American government.
Moreover, Mr. Minister, the latest news from the seat of war,
announcing that the Brazilian squadron had passed the battery of
Humaita, gives good cause to expect a speedy conclusion of the
war.
Having thus replied to your communication, by order of his excellency
the President, the undersigned has the honor to present you the
assurance of his very high and distinguished consideration.
His Excellency J. Watson Webb,
Envoy Extraordinary, &c., from the United
States to Brazil.
Senhor Elizalde to Mr. Webb.
Department of Foreign
Affairs,
Buenos Ayres,
March 24, 1868.
Sir: I had the honor to receive your note
of the 1st of February last, making known to his excellency the
President the renewal of the proffer of good offices made by the
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United States of America
to put an end to the war pending between the Argentine Republic, the
empire of Brazil, and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, and the
government of Paraguay.
In thanking you for that communication, made because your government
was without diplomatic representation here, owing to the death of
the minister resident accredited to the Argentine government, I have
the pleasure to inform you that the allies were consulted in regard
to the answer to the friendly offers of the government of the United
States, and this was done for want of diplomatic representation,
which obliged you to transmit the documents that came to hand in due
time.
I am pleased to have this occasion to repeat to you the assurances of
my high and distinguished consideration and esteem.
His Excellency Hon. J. Watson Webb,
Minister Plenipotentiary, &c., from the
United States to Brazil.
[Translation.]
Senhor Paranagua to Mr. Webb.
Rio de Janeiro, Department for
Foreign Relations,
April 8, 1868.
The undersigned, of the council of his Majesty the Emperor, minister
and secretary of state for affairs of war, and ad
interim of foreign affairs, has before him the note which,
under date of 27th January last, General James Watson Webb, envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of
America, was pleased to address to him, renewing the offer of good
offices of the government of the United States for the termination
of the war with Paraguay, and the proposals for mediation, which,
with this object, were presented in a note of 21st January, of the
year last past.
As I declared to General Webb when I acknowledged the reception of
his note of the 27th, I had to hear from the allies of the empire
before giving a definitive answer.
This obligation of loyalty discharged, I now have the honor to state
to the general, after thanking him in the name of the imperial
government for this fresh proof received of the friendly feelings of
the people and government of the United States towards Brazil, that
the same reasons continuing which were already explained in the note
from this department of the 26th of April of last year, which would
prevent the government of Brazil and her allies from accepting at
that time the first proposition of the United States, and, beyond
that, the close of the war approaching, as was to be hoped from the
important fact of the passage of Humaita, and the events which have
followed, the same government cannot at this day act differently.
Thus, therefore, the imperial government thanks, but feels that it
cannot accept the generous proffer which is made to it, and trusts
that the United States will acknowledge that she is justified in her
action.
The undersigned avails of the occasion to offer to General Webb the
reiterated assurances of his highest consideration.
JOÁO LUSTOSA DE CUNHA PARANAGUA
General James Watson Webb.
