No. 212.
Mr. Evarts
to Mr. Dichman.
Washington, November 29, 1880.
Sir: The present time, prior to the annual meeting of Congress, when the utterances of the National Executive on matters of international import are watched with more than usual interest, seems to be an appropriate one for replying to your dispatch No. 198, of the 16th of August last, wherewith you transmitted the correspondence exchanged with the Colombian Government respecting the unfriendly action of the president of Panama towards the United States vessels Adams and Kearsarge. The explanations tendered on behalf of his government by Señor Rico, in his note of the 11th of August last, are of the frank and friendly character which was naturally to be expected from the representative of the diplomatic councils of a government for which the United States have on so many occasions shown signal proofs of amity and good will; and in the light of Señor Rico’s declarations, the grounds for the complaint which formed the subject of my instruction to you of June 7 last (No. 115) may be regarded as now dispelled.
I have delayed acknowledging your dispatch until now, thinking that it might possibly fall within the purview of the instructions of the new Colombian minister near this government to make a similar declaration in conclusion of the correspondence had between this Department and his predecessor, but from the silence of General Santo Domingo Vila on the subject I am led to the agreeable conclusion that the Colombian Government, in anticipation of the satisfactory disposition of the matter which would result from Señor Rico’s note to you, deemed no further action or renewed communication through other channels necessary to a complete good understanding between” the two governments in this behalf.
I am, &c.,