No. 422.
Mr. Valera to Mr. Bayard.
[Translation.]
Legation of Spain at Washington,
Washington, March 12, 1886.
(Received March 13.)
The undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of
Spain, has the honor to transmit to the Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, Secretary
of State, a copy of a dispatch which he has just received from his
Government, and whereby he replies, in part, to the inquiry made of him
by the Hon. Mr. Bayard in his note of the 2d instant. In order to reply
with greater fullness, the undersigned will await the instructions and
the authorization which he has asked for.
In the mean time he gladly, &c.,
[Page 833]
[Inclosure with Mr. Valera’s note of
March 12, 1886.]
Most Excellent Sir: By his note of
September 22, 1885, the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States, by
order of his Government, called the attention of the Marquis del
Pazo de la Merced, my predecessor, to the work that has been
accomplished in the Caroline Islands by the American Board of
Foreign Missions, which, for thirty years, has maintained a
considerable number of missions there, having introduced
civilization and morality in said islands, and having rescued many
native tribes from the state of barbarism and cannibalism which
formerly prevailed in those regions. The Chargé d’Affaires added
that the dispute which has arisen between Spain and Germany
concerning the sovereignty of the Carolines was not a matter for his
Government to express an opinion about, but that, in view of the
facts above stated, it confidently hoped that, in whatever manner
the dispute might be settled, nothing would interrupt the
non-political labors of the American missionaries in that region,
but that, on the contrary, their benevolent enterprise would be
aided and protected. The minister of state, on the 15th of October
following, informed the United States Legation that nothing was
farther from the intention of the Spanish Government than to seek to
hamper or embarrass in the slightest degree the work of
Christianizing and teaching to which the Chargé d’Affaires had
referred, it being determined, on the contrary, to favor and promote
such beneficent results to the extent of its ability. The minister
added, in conclusion, that he performed a pleasing duty in making
that satisfactory and affirmative reply to all the points contained
in the note of the United States legation, in order that through it
that reply might be brought to the notice of the Government of the
Union. I have consequently thought proper to transmit the aforesaid
notes to the minister of the colonies, and I do so this day, to the
end that he may consider them at the present time, when he is
engaged in reorganizing the government of those islands.
By royal order, &c.
God guard you.
Madrid, February 16,
1886.