No. 577.
Mr. Hurlbut to Mr. Blaine.
Lima, Peru, October 31, 1881. (Received November 25.)
Sir: The events which I indicated in my last dispatch (No. 23), in relation to the recognition of the Calderon government by the interior [Page 946] of this country, have actually transpired. Montèro, commanding the north of Peru, has formally and officially proclaimed adhesion to this authority, with the hearty assent of the army and people.
Cacères, commanding the center, has undoubtedly followed, but official notice has not yet been received. The southern department, headquarters at Arequipa, led off in this peaceful revolution on the 8th day of October. Thus the fact which I deemed of primary consequence, the unity of Peru under a constitutional head, has been attained, and it has been attained in deference to the wishes of the United States, and in distinct opposition to the European legations, as well as to the pretensions of Chili.
Not a drop of blood has been shed, not a life lost in obtaining this result. Whatever may be the final settlement of affairs with Chili, I feel that this consolidation of public sentiment in Peru is a successful issue of one object of my mission here.
It is a matter of very deep regret to me that Mr. Kilpatrick has not been able to bring any influence to bear upon the Chilian administration at Santiago in favor of the recognition and support by Chili of the Calderon government.
I understand, by certain paragraphs in his “instructions,” that through Mr. Osborn the United States had received substantial assurances from Chili of favorable action by that republic toward the Calderon government, and that Mr. Kilpatrick was directed, on proper occasion, to strengthen and confirm such purposes.
Unfortunately my colleague has not written me a single dispatch, and I can only guess at his actions from events. The process of military suppression of the Calderon government by Chili has been given you heretofore, and in Mr. Balmaceda’s note to Mr. Kilpatrick of 8th October he evidently chose to consider this Calderon government as utterly dissipated, for he uses the term “ya fenecido” (already dead) as descriptive of its condition.
It has seemed to me that the whole conduct of Chili in this matter has been in bad faith.
Having given the pledge referred to to Mr. Osborn, they have violated it without excuse. I find their reason for so doing in the known fact that they could not obtain from Calderon a pledge of cession of territory, and therefore determined to destroy his authority. In this they have signally failed, and have in fact contributed to his present popularity in Peru. The commissioners, Altamirano and Novoa, have been in this city some six days. As yet, no approach has been made toward negotiation. I learn from various sources, of different degrees of credit, that they are considering the propriety of indefinite armed occupation, the establishment of Chilian civil service, and the consequent reduction of Peru to a Chilian province. This is undoubtedly what they would prefer. Their principal fear seems to be that Chili has not population enough to overrun and hold Peru. The idea next in favor is to demand cession of Tarapacá, Tacna, and Arica as condition precedent to consideration of peace, and as a sine qua non of entertaining any negotiations. They say that public opinion in Chili is united and resolute to keep these territories at all hazard, and that a failure so to do would overthrow their government.
It is probable that within ten days one or other of these propositions will be decided upon. At present they utterly ignore Calderon and his government, and I am of opinion that they will soon command him to leave their lines. This, of course, they have the right to do, and he is ready to go when they say so, and I should not be surprised [Page 947] in that case if they should interfere with the legations established here, or at least with those which recognize Calderon.
The straightforward and manly course for them would be to acknowledge the known fact of Calderon’s lawful presidency, sustained by an overwhelming popular sentiment, and frankly to open negotiations with him on the subject of peace on terms of equality. But for the very reason that this course would be manly and straightforward, I judge that it will not be adopted. On the contrary, I have full reason to believe that they are now secretly treating with agents of Piérola.
I have already several times presented the apparent impossibility that Peru can receive the least courtesy, to say nothing of justice, in this controversy so long as she stands alone, and I continue to wait with patience the action and decision of the Executive at home.
There are many insolences in the official Chilian paper in this city, the only one allowed to be published, and there have been wrongs done to American citizens which for the present I do not forward to you, in the hope, though I fear a vain one, that the military authorities may correct these abuses.
As to the articles in the press I take no notice, but the others are more serious, and if not soon properly adjusted I shall be compelled to send them forward for your consideration. The situation is not pleasant, and requires of me an unusual forbearance, and a careful consideration of such steps as I may find necessary to maintain the rights of our citizens.
I have, &c.,