Legation of
the United States,
Madrid, September 22, 1874.
(Received October 17.)
No. 104.]
I have, &c.
[Inclosure.]
[Translated from “El
Gobierno.”]
Rear-Admiral Polo has addressed the following communication to “El
Gobierno:”
Valencia, September 17,
1874.
Messrs. Editors of “El
Gobierno:”
Dear Sirs: In this city, where I am casually, I
have received some slips from the American newspapers, the “New York
Herald “of the 18th and 21st of August last, in which I have read with
surprise and disgust, that the periodical, also of New York, the
“Freeman’s Journal,” has had the audacity to suppose the existence of
some dispatches from the minister of state, addressed to me in the
beginning of April last, in regard to the cession of Puerto Rico to the
German Empire in exchange for assistance in combating Carlism.
The “Freeman’s Journal,” not contented with this absurd invention,
inserts, moreover, the dispatches which it supposes I addressed in reply
to the minister of state.
Notwithstanding that such inventions merit only contempt, and
notwithstanding my repugnance to condescend to contradict calumnious
falsehoods, I wish to state, over my signature, that the existence of
all the dispatches which the Freeman’s Journal has had the audacity to
invent is a downright falsehood, as is also that I resigned the office
of minister plenipotentiary of Spain, at Washington, since my recall
from that post responded to reclamation of my services for the navy from
the minister of marine.
All that the “Freeman’s Journal” has published on the subject referred to
is a tissue of absurd and despicable calumnies; and it will be so judged
by all who know the national sentiment of Spain, and the zeal of the
Spanish government for the honor of the country.
I beg you to be pleased to insert these lines in your estimable journal,
and anticipating my thanks to you therefor, I offer myself as your
attentive servant, Q. B. S. M.
The rear-admiral,
