Mr. Asboth to Mr.
Seward.
No. 1.]
Legation of the United States,
Republic of Uruguay,
October 15, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of dispatch No. 1, of April 11th ultimo, from your department to
this legation, informing me that the Senate had been pleased to confirm
my nomination as minister resident to Uruguay, and inclosing my printed
personal instructions; a sealed letter of credentials, with an office
copy of the same; a circular letter on the duties of keeping up the
records of the legation; and a list of the diplomatic and consular
officers of the United States.
Before proceeding to acquaint you with my action in consequence of this
dispatch, permit me to express my high sense of the further favor thus
manifested to me. It was an honor which I felt deeply when, although
only an adopted son of the great republic, I was commissioned to
represent it abroad near the government of the Argentine Republic.
The additional trust now committed to me inspires feelings of profound
gratitude, which I hope to be spared to evince by the zealous attention
to the interests of the United States, for which the department so
kindly gives me credit.
At the moment of receiving your dispatch No. 1, there was such an
abatement of the sickness which has so long prostrated me as to afford
hope that in a short time I might be able, in conformity with my
insructions, to proceed to Montevideo.
Finding, however, that I was unable to travel, on the 6th September,
ultimo, I opened communication by letter with Señor Don Alberto
Flangini, the Uruguay minister of foreign affairs, which resulted in the
reception of my credentials by the provisional governor of that
republic; the address of a letter by him to the President of the United
States, and the issue of a decree, under date of October 2d, ultimo,
recognizing me in the character of minister resident of the United
States to Uruguay.
I have the honor to inclose herewith, marked A, the above-mentioned
sealed letter of the provisional governor of Uruguay to the President of
the United States, and to annex a full copy of my correspondence with
Señor Flangini, of my address to the provisional governor, and of his
decree above alluded to, viz:
[Confidential.]
No. 1.]
Legation of the United States,
Buenos Ayres, September 6, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency
that the President of the United States of America was pleased to
nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, has
appointed me to he minister resident of the United States of America to
the republic of Uruguay, in addition to my present mission here.
Fully sensible of the importance of the high trust confided to me by my
government, and convinced of the mutual benefits that will accrue to
both republics from the establishment of more close and friendly
relations between them, nothing would have given [Page 995] me greater gratification than, on the receipt of
my commission, to have proceeded at once to Montevideo, the capital of
the republic, there to ascertain, through your kind offices, the
pleasure of his excellency the provisional governor, General Venancio
Flores, as to the presentation of the letter accrediting me in my new
official capacity.
A long protracted illness has, however, confined me for several months to
a sick bed; and, as I am still unable to leave my room, I venture
herewith, confidentially, to request that your excellency may be pleased
to inform me whether, under these peculiar circumstances, which render
impossible at present my haying the honor to deliver my credentials
personally into the hands of the chief magistrate of the republic, his
excellency General Flores would consent to a deviation from the
established rule, and permit me to present them through your excellency
by an official letter.
I beg to inclose a certified copy of these my credentials, and avail
myself of this opportunity to assure your excellency of the
distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your
excellency’s obedient servant,
His Excellency Señor Don Alberto Flangini,
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Montevideo.
[Confidential.—Translation.]
Office of Foreign Affairs,
Montevideo,
September 13, 1867.
Mr. Minister: I have had the honor to
receive your excellency’s confidential note, dated the 6th instant,
No. 1, in which you are pleased to communicate to me that his
excellency the President of the United States of America has thought
proper to appoint you his minister resident near my government,
manifesting at the same time the material impossibility in which you
find yourself of delivering personally the letter accrediting you in
the above-mentioned character, a copy of which is inclosed by your
excellency.
Having brought this communication to the knowledge of his excellency
the provisional governor of the republic, Brigadier General Don
Venancio Flores, he has desired me to say to your excellency, in
reply, that the Oriental government, being anxious to cultivate, in
all sincerity, and to bind closer the relations of friendship which
happily exist between the two republics, views with the highest
gratification your excellency’s appointment as the worthy
representative of the great North American republic in the Oriental
Republic.
I have, at the same time, the satisfaction to make known to your
excellency that, in consequence of the motives given in the note to
which I am now replying, with regard to the delivery of the
credentials, although, as your excellency states, the form proposed
by you is a deviation from the established rule, nevertheless, the
Oriental government, out of deference to your excellency, consents
that the credentials alluded to should be remitted to this office to
be duly recognized.
With this, it is highly gratifying to me to offer to your excellency
the assurances of my grateful consideration and distinguished
regard.
His Excellency Don Alexandro Asboth,
Minister Resident of the United States of
America, Buenos Ayres.
No. 2.]
Legation of the United
States,
Buenos Ayres,
September 15, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s communication on the 13th instant, in
which you reply to my confidential note of the 6th instant. Your
excellency is pleased to state that the Oriental government, in kind
consideration of the circumstances which render my removal from my
sick room at present impossible, is willing to deviate from the
existing general rule and sanction the presentation of my
credentials, accrediting me as United States minister resident in
the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, through your excellency’s good
offices, by an official letter.
I have, in consequence, the honor to forward herewith a sealed letter
from the President of the United States of America to his excellency
the provisional governor of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
accrediting me to its government, as well as an address from myself
to his excellency Brigadier General Don Venancio Flores, both of
which I would request your excellency to deliver into the hands of
his excellency the chief magistrate of the republic for official
consideration.
And while acknowledging my high sense of the personal obligation
implied in the readiness with which the Oriental government has
acceded to my request, I have more [Page 996] particularly to beg that your excellency will
accept my special and most sincere thanks, and will also allow me to
assure you again of the high consideration with which I have the
honor to be your excellency’s obedient servant.
His Excellency Señor Don Alberto
Flangini,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Montevideo.
[Untitled]
Legation of the United States of
America,
Buenos Ayres,
September 17, 1867.
Address of General A. Asboth, in
presenting his credentials as minister of the United States of
America near the government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,
to his excellency Brigadier General Don Veenancio Flores, chief
magistrate of the Oriental Republic.
General: I have the honor to present
herewith to your excellency my credentials as minister resident of
the United States of America, and in so doing I beg leave to assure
your excellency that, fully sensible of the honor that has devolved
upon me of inaugurating, for the first time, official diplomatic
relations between the United States of America and the Oriental
Republic of Uruguay, it will not only be my duty but my highest
pleasure to uphold and foster, both officially and personally, in a
spirit of true friendship and harmony, those relations which, I
sincerely trust, may lastingly be productive of mutual benefits to
the two sister republics.
Your excellency will therefore permit me, in thus placing in your
hands my letter of credence from the President of the United States
of America, to assure your excellency that the sentiments therein
expressed will always find in me a faithful exponent. And I beg to
add my heartfelt desire and earnest hope, that the day may soon
arrive in which the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, crowned with a
profound, substantial, and lasting peace, shall be free to pursue
its noble career of progress and humanity, and, by faithfully
advancing the interests of republican institutions, steadily develop
the prosperity and happiness of its people.
May Almighty God preserve your excellency many years in His safe and
holy keeping.
[Translation.]
Office of Foreign Affairs,
Montevideo,
October 2, 1867.
Mr. Minister: I have had the honor to
receive your excellency’s note, dated 17th ultimo, inclosing the
letters of credence accrediting you in the character of minister
resident of the United States of America in this republic, as well
as your excellency’s address on your reception.
These documents have been laid before the provisional governor. He
has charged me to thank your excellency, in his name, for the terms
in which your address is conceived; assuring you, at the same time,
that he feels the highest satisfaction in cultivating and
strengthening through your excellency the sincere and cordial
relations which must always subsist between both republics.
I hereby inclose to your excellency a certified copy of the decree
issued this day by Ms excellency the provisional governor,
recognizing your excellency in the above mentioned character, and I
beg at the same time that you may be pleased to forward to its
address the letter which, with the customary copy, I remit to your
excellency for the United States of America.
Having thus fulfilled the order of his excellency the provisional
governor, I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your
excellency the assurances of my highest consideration and
regard.
His Excellency Don Alesandro Asboth,
Minister resident of the United States of
America, Buenos Ayres.
Certified copy of the decree recognizing General
A. Asboth, in the above mentioned character as minister of the
United States of America to the republic of Uruguay.
[Translation.]
Office of Foreign
Relations,
Montevideo,
October 2, 1867.
DECREE.
The provisional governor of the republic decrees:
Article 1. Don Alesandro Asboth is hereby
recognized in the character of minister [Page 997] resident of the United States of America, in
accordance with the credential letters he has presented.
Art. 2. Don Alesandro Asboth is, moreover,
declared to hold and enjoy the prerogatives and exemptions to which
he is entitled by public right.
Art. 3. Let this be communicated,
published, and inserted in the corresponding register.
FLORES.
ALBERTO FLANGINI.
Under date of October 13th, ultimo, I addressed a further note, No.
3, to Señor Flangini, acknowledging the courteous manner in which my
credentials had been received by the provisional governor of
Uruguay, announcing my formal entry on the duties of minister
resident of the United States to that republic, and informing him of
the reply of the President to the letter of the provisional governor
declining, on the part of Uruguay, the mediation proffered by the
United States in the war between the allies and Paraguay. The
following is a copy of the said note:
No. 3.]
Legation of the United States,
Buenos Ayres, October 13, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your excellency’s favor of the 2d instant, in reply to my
official request marked No. 2, and dated September 15th, relative to
submitting my credentials as minister resident of the United States
of America to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, and my own address
to his excellency Brigadier General Don Venancio Flores, chief
magistrate of that republic, for his official consideration.
In this communication your excellency was good enough to inform me of
the kind manner in which his excellency the provisional governor of
the Oriental Republic had been pleased to receive those official
documents, and the assurance of the high satisfaction which his
excellency feels in cultivating and strengthening the most sincere
and cordial relations between the two sister republics.
At the same time your excellency was pleased to inclose a certified
copy of the decree issued on the 2d instant by his excellency
Brigadier General Don Yenancio Flores, recognizing me in the
above-mentioned character of minister resident of the United States
of America near his government, together with a letter from his
excellency the provisional governor to the President of the United
States of America.
Having thus been duly installed through your excellency’s kind
offices in my diplomatic mission near the government of the Oriental
Republic of Uruguay, I have the honor hereby to enter formally upon
the duties connected with this my new office.
In doing so, I beg leave to inform your excellency that I have been
officially advised by the Secretary of State of the United States of
America that he has had the honor to receive from your excellency a
communication, in which, while your excellency in the name of the
Oriental Republic declines the good offices proffered by the United
States for the restoration of peace in the countries of the La
Plata, your excellency expresses at the same time a high
appreciation of those good offices, and assigns the reasons for the
course which the Oriental Republic feels itself bound to pursue.
I am further instructed by the Secretary of State to mention that
your excellency’s communication has been laid before the President
of the United States, and that, while the President regrets the
failure of his efforts to secure the restoration of peace, he hopes
at the same time that that consummation may be speedily reached in
some manner which will be honorable and satisfactory to the
respective belligerents, and that he will hold himself at all times
ready to contribute to that end in any way which shall seem likely
to be agreeable to the parties concerned, and at the same time
effective.
Having thus fulfilled the orders of my government, I avail myself of
this opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurances of the
high consideration and regard with which I have the honor to be your
excellency’s obedient servant,
Señor Don Alberto Flangini,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Montivideo,
I venture, in conclusion, to offer to you, sir, personally, the
tribute of my warm and grateful acknowledgments of the renewed
confidence reposed in me; and I have the honor to be, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.