[Extract.]
Mr. Sullivan to Mr. Seward.
No. 73.]
Legation of the United States,
Bogota,
June 18, 1868.
Sir: The policy of the Colombian government is
evinced in its reply, marked A, herewith transmitted, to my notes of the
5th of October, 20th of January, and 5th of May last, (copies of which I
have duly transmitted
[Page 1073]
to
your department with my Nos. 33, 59, and 65, of October 12, March 28, and May 13 last,) relative to the inhuman
murder of native-born citizens of our country by national officers and
troops of Colombia, at Carthagena, on the 1st of September last.
The Colombian government transfers the whole subject for further
consideration to your department. * * * *
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
Señor Perez to Mr. Sullivan.
Office of the Interior and
Foreign Relations,
Bogota,
June 10, 1868.
The undersigned has the honor to reply in accordance with the
instructions he has received from the citizen President, to the note
which your excellency was pleased to address to this office under
date of May 5th of the present year.
The circumstances which took place in the city of Carthagena on the
1st of September, and of which several individuals who had formed
part of the crew of the steamer Cuyler or Rayo were victims, are
among those which have caused the most disagreeable impressions, not
only upon the authorities of the country but also upon every
Colombian—especially the individual at present in charge of the
national executive power, has deplored such shameful events, and
would have desired to have at his command the means of lessening
their evil results and of insuring condign punishment to the
culprits. As a proof thereof, it will suffice to mention the care
and spontaneousness with which he had the tradesman Ponaranda
apprehended in this city and conveyed to Carthagena for trial, in
consequence of the competent authority having ordered his
imprisonment, as being complicated in the above-mentioned
events.
At the same time that the citizen President does not conceive that
the government has incurred any responsibility on account of the
above-mentioned acts, or even that the fact of the parties against
whom the attacks were made were North American citizens on the 1st
of September, is proved, he desires, nevertheless, to satisfy, in
whatever it appertains to him to do so, in accordance with the law
of nations and his special obligations, the government of the United
States of America, which, by the appreciable intervention of your
excellency, has thought proper to claim indemnification.
With a view thereto, and as certain documents are required which at
present are in the office of the President of the sovereign State of
Magdalena, which will aid in determining the nationality of the
parties who were attacked in Carthagena on the day above mentioned,
the citizen President has resolved to transfer to Washington the
present discussion, and General Santos Acosta being about to be
accredited envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the
Colombian Union, one of his duties will be that of continuing there
the discussion of this business, and of settling it in accordance
with the justice and the honor of the two countries.
The executive power is firmly convinced that the aforesaid affair,
argued and brought to a close with the Hon. Mr. Sullivan, would be
brought to an equally satisfactory conclusion; but the
above-mentioned circumstances and the desire that the other
important questions which are confided to your excellency may not
suffer any interruption on account of the said claim, have caused
him to come to this resolution, in which he hopes the honorable
minister will not fail to perceive the ardent desire of the
Colombian government to attend, both here and in Washington, to the
speedy dispatch of all the questions pending between the two
countries.
The undersigned takes advantage of the present opportunity to present
to your excellency the most evident proofs of his high
consideration.
Hon. General Peter J. Sullivan,
Minister Resident of the United States of
America, &c., &c., &c.
