No. 199.
Mr. Dichman to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Bogotá, January 20, 1881.
(Received March 23.)
No. 245.]
Sir: Upon the receipt of your No. 133, of the 13th
of October last, referring to the treaty for the preservation of peace
between the Republics of Colombia and Chili, I took the first favorable
opportunity for bringing the sentiments contained in your dispatch just
cited to the knowledge of the Colombian Government, upon which the most
gratifying impression was produced, to the extent of eliciting the
suggestion on the part of the Colombian foreign secretary that I might find
it convenient to embody your views in an official communication in order
that the Colombian Congress, at its next session, might be made acquainted
therewith.
Accordingly, I addressed a note to the Colombian foreign secretary, a copy of
which I beg leave to inclose, in which I endeavored to convey to his
government a knowledge of the pertinent parts of your dispatch No. 133,
above mentioned.
From the accompanying copy of his answer you will be pleased to learn that
your sentiments, of which I was happy to be the simple instrument of
transmission, were received by the President of this republic with the most
profound satisfaction, and that the ready approval extended to this
government in its adhesion to the great principle of international
arbitration and the acceptance for the President of the United States of the
office of arbitrator, the interests of peace between the Spanish-American
Republics have been advanced, and the friendly and honorable position of the
United States as their mediator and counselor is fully recognized.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 245.]
Mr. Dichman to
Señor Santamaria.
Legation of the United States,
Bogotá, January 7,
1881.
Sir: The negotiation of the treaty for the
preservation of peace between the Republics of Colombia and Chili,
concluded between the chargé d’affaires of the latter country and
yourself, having been reported by me to my government, it affords me
much pleasure to inform you that the intelligence thus conveyed by me
has been received with feelings of lively satisfaction at Washington, as
indicating on the part of the Government of Colombia, not merely a
desire to maintain and strengthen the relations of peace and good will
with the Government of Chili, but as evincing also a concurrence with
the great principle of arbitration in the settlement of international
disputes, by establishing in the treaty above mentioned that system of
appeal as between cosignatory states in all future emergencies; and the
designation, made in the same instrument, of the President of the United
States as arbitrator between them in certain contingencies has been
accepted as a manifestation of that confidence in the impartial amity of
the Government of the United States for the sister republics of the
American continent, which it has always been its proud privilege to
welcome on every fitting occasion and strengthen by its example of good
will and kindly interest in their welfare.
In advance of the completion of the treaty by the exchange of the
ratifications for which provision is made in the fourth article, or in
anticipation of any formal invitation by Colombia, I am pleased to be
able to convey to you the informal assurance that should occasion for
arbitration between the two countries which are parties to the treaty
arise,
[Page 351]
the President of the
United States will deem himself privileged in being able to respond to
the flattering trust reposed in him and as evincing the interests of the
people and Government of the United States in all that concerns the
welfare of Colombia.
Before bringing this communication to a close it may also be of interest
for you to learn that, on the subject of the treaty between Colombia and
Chili, an instruction, of similar tenor to the one which has given rise
to this communication, has been sent by the honorable Secretary of State
at Washington to the minister of the United States at Santiago, who, I
have no doubt, will convey to the government of Chili the like
sentiments of amity and high appreciation which it has been my pleasant
duty to express to you upon the occasion.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
245.—Translation.]
Señor Santamaria to
Mr. Dichman.
United
States of Colombia, Department of Foreign
Relations,
Bogotá, January 14,
1881.
Sir: Your courteous note of the 7th instant was
placed by me in the hands of the President of the republic, and I have
the honor to inform you that its contents produced in him the most
profound satisfaction, although not really a surprise, since when he
dictated the stipulation contained in article 2 of the convention of
peace between Colombia and Chili he did not doubt for a moment that the
President of the United States would accept with good will the part of
arbitrator between the two republics which is therein attributed to him,
and that this fact would afford the government at Washington the
opportunity of again manifesting and of putting into practice, occurring
the contingency, those sentiments of impartial friendship it has ever
shown in favor of its sister republics of the American continent, and
more especially of Colombia, to which it has been bound during many
years by the closest and most cordial ties through their community of
interests of great importance and identity of aspirations and
institutions.
The adherence of my government to the grand principle of arbitration as
the only available mode of amicably adjusting whatever international
disagreement or nonconformity, has been constant and firm since the
political emancipation of this country, and whenever it has been
admissible it has yielded to it in public treaties, especially with
sister republics. But the adherence of my government to such principles
and its submission to it in said treaties would be worthless if at the
proper time it were not provided, nothing improbable, in the event that
the contracting parties could not or would not agree respecting the
selection of an arbitrator, in which case the application of the great
principle would become useless and there would remain no other recourse
than an appeal to arms or the most abject humiliation of the contracting
parties. It was to avoid this grave occurrence that the head of my
government caused to be introduced into said convention the very
excellent stipulation that in the event of disagreement in the selection
of an arbitrator, it would be obligatory upon the contracting parties to
submit to the decision of the President of the United States.
As you must know the convention alluded to was very well received by the
Government of Chili on which account it may be expected that it will be
approved during the year by the Congress of each republic. So that
relying as we may with security upon the gracious acceptance by the
President of the United States of the charge of arbitrator that by
virtue of said stipulation appertains to him it may be safely predicted
without risk of equivocation that the doors are forever closed to a war
between Colombia and Chili.
But you are aware that although it is a cause for satisfaction for
Colombia that she succeeds in obtaining the assurance of living
perpetually in peace with Chili she will have effected very little for
her future tranquillity without the absolute certainty of living in like
manner with her other sister republics with some of which she possesses
clashing interests by reason of boundaries, proximity, and other
circumstances. It is precisely with Chili that this country least fears
difficulties. The great distance that separates their territories, the
proper pride that Colombia has ever experienced at the sight of the
prosperity of this sister republic, the admiration with which she has
contemplated the solid peace she has enjoyed and the great and sincere
sympathy which has been won from this country by the thinking people of
Chili in their stoic struggle constant and audacious in favor of those
liberal principles based upon justice and toleration are circumstances
which would make even without the convention alluded to if not
impossible at least most remote, any cause for difficulty between the
two countries.
[Page 352]
The President regarded the matter in this light and anxiously the idea of
a convention of peace between Colombia and Chili when the chargé
d’affaires of the latter proposed it with the object of introducing in
it the clause alluded to and that which is contained in article 3. These
two points comprise what there is truly grand, practically,
substantially, purely American, and especially new in that document.
The said convention accepted in these terms by the American republics as
may be expected that it will be in the course of the year at Panama,
there will be a perpetual international peace upon the American
continent and the United States will assume the great office, as of
right pertains to it, of mediator and counselor among the sister
republics of the New World, bearing upon her banner high and secure the
celebrated motto of one of her Presidents: “America for the
Americans.”
In the name of my government I have the honor to thank you for your
spontaneous solicitude in laying the subject to which this note refers
before that at Washington and to beg that you will deign to accept the
sentiments of high consideration and respect with which I subscribe
myself,
Your very obedient servant,
