No. 392.
Mr. Valera to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Washington, June 2, 1884. (Received June 3.)
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Spain, has the honor to bring to the knowledge of the honorable Secretary of State that in conformity with his promise, in the interview had with him on Saturday last, he has telegraphed to the Spanish consul at Key West enjoining upon him extreme prudence in order to avoid pretexts of conflict, and ordering him in case his life be threatened to put himself under the protection of the authorities of the United States by land or sea, even if there should be a Spanish man-of-war in the harbor, since the undersigned desires, and he believes that with this desire he interprets that of the Secretary of State, that the good harmony of the two Governments be clearly shown, and that even the most distant pretext be not given” for saying that in a port of the United States the consul of a friendly nation has been protected Thy a foreign force.
The Spanish consul at Key West has answered the undersigned’s telegram that he has not given and will not give any pretext for the disturbance of peace in that island, but that the Cubans there, dissatisfied by his extreme vigilance, are endeavoring at all hazards to procure his removal from his post, where he has lent signal service to the Government of the King of Spain.
The consul also states that some of the authorities of the State of Florida, being desirous of attracting the Cubans in order to gain their votes, are temporizing with those who by their insults and ridicule seek to make the consul’s residence intolerable.
The undersigned, who has received so many proofs of the good wishes of the honorable Secretary of State, and who feels grateful for the repeated efforts of the Government of the United States to protect the security of the Spanish consul and to cause the neutrality laws to be obeyed, deems it his duty to bring the foregoing facts to Mr. Frelinghuysen’s knowledge, to the end that by means of the agents which the Federal Government has in Florida he may endeavor to investigate the truth thereof, and be pleased in view thereof to give such orders as he may deem most proper for the protection of the Spanish consul and for the fulfillment of the laws.
The undersigned improves, &c.,