Mr. Sullivan to Mr. Seward.
No. 70.]
Legation of the United States,
Bogota,
June 18, 1868.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith
correspondence (A and B) had between the Colombian government and
myself, on the request of the Spanish minister at Washington, invoking
our friendly aid (per your dispatch No. 39 of April 14th last) not to
let the war steamer Cuyler go to sea during the existing war between
Spain and certain South American republics. I think the answer is
satisfactory.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Sullivan to Señor Perez.
Legation of the United States of
America,
Bogota,
June 6, 1868.
Sir: My government has instructed me to
inform your excellency that the Spanish minister at Washington has
addressed a note to the Department of State, United States of
America, requesting its good offices with that of its sister
republic the United States of Colombia, for the purpose of
preventing the departure of the war steamer R. R. Cuyler, alias the
“El Rayo,” from the port where she now is, during the state of war
between Spain and certain Spanish American republics.
The object of the Spanish government, in soliciting this arrangement,
is to relieve the squadron of observation which it now maintains,
and otherwise might still feel obliged to keep up, for the purpose
of watching the movements of the Cuyler.
The Spanish minister aforesaid expresses confidence in the existing
national administration of the United States of Colombia, and
intimates a belief that if it were to engage not to allow the said
war steamer to put to sea under the circumstances referred to, that
its pledge to that effect would warrant the Spanish government in
withdrawing its naval force from Colombian waters.
Said Spanish minister further authorizes me to say that a motive for
asking the interposition of my government in this matter is that
Spain has no diplomatic representative in Colombia.
[Page 1072]
In making known to your excellency the wish of her Catholic Majesty’s
government above referred to, as well as that of mine, I presume
that the presence of Spanish men-of-war in or near Colombian waters
cannot be very agreeable to the government of that brave soldier and
disinterested patriot, General Santos Guteriez, the popular citizen
President of Colombia, and hence I believe that the equivalent
required for their departure will, under the circumstances, be
regarded as sufficient and liberal, and must naturally result in a
source of mutual benefit and lasting friendship between all parties
concerned.
I request a speedy and explicit answer to this note.
I have the honor to reiterate to your excellency my unbounded
confidence in and respect for yourself and the government of which
you are so truly worthily the exponent.
His Excellency Señor Acosta Santiago
Perez,
Secretary of the Interior and Foreign
Relations, U. S. C.
[Translation.]
Señor Perez to Mr. Sullivan.
Office of the Interior and
Foreign Relations,
Bogota,
June 15, 1868.
The note which your excellency was pleased to address the
undersigned, dated 6th of the present month of June, stating that
the Spanish minister in Washington has solicited of the government
of the United States of America the interposition of its good
offices with Colombia, in order to prevent the sailing of the
steamer of war R. R. Cuyler or “El Rayo,” from the port in which it
is at present, so long as the present war between Spain and the
allied republics of the Pacific continue, has been laid before the
citizen President.
The undersigned has received instructions to state to your excellency
that Colonel F. Canez, who will shortly set out in the service of
the government near the Colombian Atlantic States, will be the
bearer of orders to remove from the said steamer Rayo all such
pieces or parts as it may be possible to take out of her with the
view to hinder her from sailing or performing any service without
the knowledge of the Colombian government.
This said government, in fulfillment of its duties as a neutral
power, will not grant, under any circumstances, its permission for
the sailing of the said vessel from its waters.
In the same manner the authorities of the State in which the said
vessel is at present shall be notified, to the effect that the
utmost vigilance be observed respecting the said vessel, to the
effect that she be not taken or conveyed away for the service of any
of the belligerents, so long as the war continues, or until the
ownership of the said vessel be ascertained.
The citizen President hopes that the above-mentioned assurances will
be satisfactory to the government of the United States, whose good,
offices are always so grateful to him, and whose wishes he will lose
no opportunity to satisfy upon all occasions, and especially when,
as in the present case, they are strictly in accordance with the
claims of justice respecting a nation with which Colombia is at
peace.
The undersigned renews to the honorable minister his most cordial
assurances.
Hon. General Peter J. Sullivan,
Minister Resident of the United States of
America, &c., &c., &c.
