Mr. Seward to Mr. Kilpatrick.
Sir: On the 11th day of June last I had the honor to make known to you, for the information of the government of Chili, that the modifications which that government proposed of the proposition of the United States, for mediation by them in the war opened between Spain and the allied republics of the Pacific, would be communicated to the government of the Queen of Spain for its consideration, and that whatever reply should be made by the Spanish government would be without delay announced to Chili and her allies. It happened, through a deficiency of attention in this department, that no such communication to the Spanish government, as I had promised, was immediately made, although the modifications suggested by the republics of the Pacific were informally mentioned to the minister from Spain here, and by him communicated to his government,
When the omission had been discovered I presented the matter to the Spanish government in due form. In consequence of the delay that thus occurred, it is only just now that I have received the formal reply of the Spanish government. This answer is, that Spain cannot concur in the modifications which the allied republics propose, and that those modifications are regarded as antagonistical to the project which was initiated by this government for the settlement of peace. The Spanish government, however, leaves it for the United States to determine when the good offices which they have been conducting between the belligerents shall cease. I am thus rendered able to submit for the consideration of the allied republics the question whether they desire to make any further communication to the United States in promoting a concurrence of views. Should those republics answer in the negative, the President, on receiving information to that effect, will announce to the several belligerents his conviction that the good offices of the United States, by way of mediation, may be regarded as no longer promising a favorable conclusion, and that those good offices may on both sides be regarded as coming to an end.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Judson Kilpatrick, Esq., &c., &c., &c.