Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister.
Washington , December 4, 1869.
[796] *The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has the honor to acknowledge the-receipt of the note of Mr. [Page 751] Lopez Roberts, of the 1st instant, in which Mr. Lopez Roberts calls the attention of the undersigned to the friendly sentiments which animate the present cabinet of Madrid toward the American nationalities of Spanish origin, especially as shown in the language used by General Prim in the constituent Cortes, and in which Mr. Lopez Roberts states in the name of his government that he is ready to make to Peru a declaration similar to that which the representative of the latter republic made to Spain in 1868, in relation to the monitors Oneota and Catawba, and requests the undersigned so to state to the minister of Peru at Washington, assuring him that the gun-boats now detained at New York on the representation of the minister of Peru can only be used for the coast service, and are not destined to carry on hostilities against Peru nor any other American republic, and have not been built to replace other and larger vessels, in order that the latter may be able to go and attack Peru or any other American republic.
[797] The undersigned has read with great satisfaction the friendly assurances of General Prim, to which his attentionhas been called. He has also had the honor to transmit to the representative of *Peru at Washington the authoritative statement so made by Mr. Lopez Roberts.
The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of his distinguished consideration.
- HAMILTON FISH.
- Señor Don M. Lopez Roberts.