[Translation.]

Señor Garcia to Mr. Seward.

Sir: In compliance with your excellency’s wishes, I commit to this dispatch the information which, by express order of my government, I had the honor of communicating to your excellency at our interview of the 8th instant.

Your excellency is acquainted with the causes of various kinds which have until now delayed an agreement on the part of the allied republics of the Pacific, with regard to the various propositions of meditation and good offices, which mutual friends of the belligerent governments, for the sake of peace, and animated by a feeling of deference and special kindness, have been pleased to tender. Those causes being removed, and the initiatory having been taken by Ecuador, by sending her plenipotentiary Señor Antonio Flores on a special mission to Lima for the purpose of seek-nig a way for the re-establishment of commercial relations with Spain, two of the allied governments, those of Peru and Ecuador, have freely and explicitly accepted the opening of negotiations suggested by your excellency’s note, bearing date the 27th of March last.

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The representative of Bolivia has also joined in that action, subject to the final decision of his government, and there is no reason for doubting that Chili will shortly accede to the views of the majority of her allies. To this end Peru has addressed a special communication to her government, and the plenipotentiary of Ecuador was to start immediately for Santiago.

The annexed protocol of the conference held in Lima on the first day of the month of September last, by the diplomatic representatives of the four allied republics, will inform your excellency, in a correct manner, of the course of this negotiation and the favorable aspect which it bears for the plan proposed by your excellency.

I have the honor of subscribing myself, with the highest consideration, your excellency’s most obedient servant,

J. A. GARCIA Y GARCIA.

Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.