No. 128.
Señor Flores to Mr. Bayard.

[Translation.]

Mr. Secretary of State: I hasten to inform your excellency that I have thus morning received a note from my Government, dated at Quito on the 11th of April, and sent to Paris, whence it has been forwarded to me. In that note I am informed that Mr. Julio R. Santos had accepted a public office in Ecuador, and this was one of the many reasons which existed leading to the belief that he had resumed Ecuadorian citizenship. In consequence, I beg your excellency to be pleased to state to me whether, upon the presentation of the proof of this fact, of which the Government of the United States was ignorant, it would be competent to change “the decision” of the Department of State to which your excellency’s note of the 14th ultimo refers. I likewise beg you to inform me if, with this object, there will be taken into consideration the further proofs which my Government may send me, as well as evidence impugning the proofs presented by Mr. Santos. I think that the favorable reply of your excellency would aid efficiently toward the speedy settlement of the matter. It would also be of great importance to add, to the end of avoiding any misunderstanding, that your excellency is in agreement with me upon the two following points: 1st, that the release of Mr. Santos will not prejudice the “citizenship” question, which is reserved for afterwards; and, 2d, that this point being decided, any claim related therewith shall be the subject of arbitration. If I receive from your excellency, as I hope, such a favorable reply, I will at once telegraph to my Government, and I trust that the consequence will be the release of Mr. Santos as soon as possible; for I have already had occasion to state to your excellency the conditions exacted by our constitution for amnesty and pardon in the event of Mr. Santos having been tried and condemned.

It is gratifying to me to add that in the above-mentioded note of the 11th of April, my Government authorized to the end that, having cognizance [Page 276] of the proofs which may have been presented to your excellency’s Government, I may definitely settle the point in dispute, after the reception, as is natural to suppose, of all the evidence which three consecutive telegrams from Ecuador have announced to me.

No one desires the aforesaid settlement more than I, Mr. Secretary of State; but this same proof of confidence wherewith my Government honors me imposes upon me the duty of not abusing it by proceeding to decide so grave an affair upon ex parte testimony and without even awaiting all the documents from Ecuador, which, as your excellency knows, I have always asked should be awaited before going any further.

In conclusion, your excellency will permit me to observe that, although such authorization effectively exhibits the deference of my Government toward that of your excellency, and its sincere desire to hasten the satisfactory termination of this incident, all that had before taken place demonstrates likewise that it has not been its intention to evade a settlement, and that it had acted with justice.

In effect, Mr. Santos having been seized on the “Boca de Chone” in company with armed men, and, moreover, with munitions of war, and the like supplies having been also found in his house, he was subjected to the corresponding proceedings, in the course of which many witnesses appeared against him.

My Government, in evidence of its good-will, has caused me to forsake important negotiations set on foot in Europe, and ordered me to come hither to come to an understanding with your excellency in settlement of this matter.

I have, &c.,

A. FLORES.