Mr. Goñi to Mr., Seward.
The untlersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, on referring to his note of the 23d of May last, relative to the monitors Catawba and Oneota, has the honor to call the attention of the honorable Secretary of State once more to the contents of that note.
Two circumstances move the undersigned to insist again upon this affair. 1st. It is known to the undersigned that the minister of Peru has solicited permission from the government of the United States to take possession of the monitors, contending that the existing situation between Spain and Peru is not a state of war, which assertion is entirely without foundation; and 2d, that the monitors now in the port of New Orleans are not apparently sufficiently guarded to prevent them from going to sea, as the undersigned is aware of no official measures having been taken to prevent their departure.
[Page 32]In regard to the assertion of the government of Peru, the undersigned hopes the honorable Secretary has rejected it, as it deserves. The state of war between the nations exists so long as the belligerent and interested parties do not stipulate for peace, and in the present case, not only has peace between Spain and Peru not been agreed upon, but the government of Peru has not, up to this time, even accepted the good offices tendered for that purpose by the government of the United States.
We cannot conceive, therefore, how the government of Peru could make such a request of the United States, as its grant would imply a violation of the law of nations, a serious offense to the laws of neutrality of this country, and a want of reciprocity in the friendship and conciliatory sentiments manifested by the government of her Catholic Majesty on accepting the good offices of the government of the United States for the settlement of the contest. Fortunately, the honorable Secretary of State, in his note of the 23d of April, to Mr. Garcia, minister of Peru, expressed his opinion in conformity with this doctrine, in judging of the present situation between Spain and Peru, and therefore the undersigned hopes he may be excused for insisting upon that point. If the government of Peru desires the present situation to be converted into one of peace, why does it not accept the good offices tendered by the government at Washington? But as it has not accepted them, how can it believe that this government is to consider the present situation as a state of peace, neither perfect nor imperfect? The undersigned trusts that the honorable Secretary of State will reject such unfounded pretensions as exceedingly inconsistent. From what has been said, the undersigned feels obliged to insist upon the adoption of peremptory measures to prevent the departure of those monitors. It appears from common report, that the said vessels are not in the hands of the local authorities, and it is not known what order has been issued about them.
The undersigned, therefore, once more invokes justice from the government of the United States, and begs that immediate measures be taken to detain the monitors Catawba and Oneota.
The undersigned hopes the honorable Secretary of State will be pleased to communicate to him the resolutions adopted in conformity with the claims of right and justice.
The undersigned embraces the occasion to renew to the honorable Secretary of State the assurances of his very high consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.