No. 559.
Mr. Christiancy to Mr. Blaine.
Lima, Peru, June 16, 1881. (Received July 6.)
Sir: In reply to your dispatch No. 143 I have the honor to say that that dispatch places upon me the grave responsibility of determining [Page 916] as matters of fact three distinct propositions, upon none of which have I been able to obtain any very satisfactory evidence:
- 1st.
- Whether the provisional government of Señor Calderon is supported by the character and influence of Peru;
- 2d.
- Whether it is really endeavoring to restore constitutional government; and
- 3d.
- If so, whether it is with a view to order within and negotiation with Chili for peace.
The first question under present circumstances is a very difficult one to decide just now. If mere money or financial “influence” be referred to, this is to be found along the coast, which is completely controlled by the Chilians, and consists of the wealthy owners of sugar plantations and the mercantile class, who seek for peace at any price and upon any terms. But if “by influence” or the weight of influence upon political or government matters (which I conclude must be your meaning), then there is great room for doubt, and I am much inclined to think it may turn out to be against the provisional government. It is a very embarrassing question to decide.
Upon the other two questions I have no ground, except the professions of the provisional government, upon which to decide them; but I am inclined to believe they should be decided in the affirmative.
The first is the difficult question. The provisional government has not yet succeeded in getting the attendance of a quorum of congress, though it has a full quorum of the senate, but lacks twelve members of a quorum of the house.
At my request of yesterday the dean of the diplomatic corps has called a meeting of the corps for 2 o’clock to-day, to enable me to get their opinion upon these questions of fact, but this will be too late for the mail to-day.
I had a full conference two days since with Señor Calderon, and have a favorable opinion of him.
But I yesterday had a conference with Admiral Lynch, commander of the Chilian forces here, and with Señor Godoy, the representative of Chili in political matters here, and I found at once that they do not want the provisional government of Peru recognized yet, both saying to me that they had not recognized it on the part of Chili, and that they did not wish it recognized by other nations until they had recognized it. I also yesterday ascertained from a perfectly reliable source, that the Chilian representatives here have, within a few days past, approached at least one of the commissioners by Piérola to negotiate peace, to know if such commissioners were still authorized to act, holding out to them hopes that they would still negotiate with him. The position is full of complications, but upon the whole it would certainly seem to be the object of Chili at present to play off one of these Peruvian governments against the other; to give Chili a fair pretext to hold permanent occupation of Peru. It may be that in a few days I may obtain sufficient information to bring the case within the principle you have laid, and if so, I shall act at once; since I, as well as you and all true Americans, prefer a constitutional government to a dictatorship.
I am, &c.,
P. S.—This provisional government is not, even as such, a government de facto in any part of Peru, except in a little hamlet of Magdalena.—I. P. C.