No. 422.
Mr. Valera to Mr. Bayard.

[Translation.]

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.,

JUAN VALERA.
[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.