No. 559.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Buck.
Washington , November 30, 1886.
Sir: I have received your No. 171, of the 28th of October last, inclosing a copy of an act of the Peruvian Congress, passed on the 24th of that month, declaring void all “interior acts” of the Pierola and Iglesias Governments, and have to approve your note or “memorandum “of the 26th of the same month to the minister for foreign affairs, in which you set forth in accordance with your instructions the views of this Department on the responsibility of nations for the acts of their de facto Governments.
I have also to approve your course in declining to join the representatives of certain foreign powers at Lima, in diplomatic representations to the Government, concerning the law in question.
Not only are the interests of all the various Governments at the present conjuncture diverse in their character, but there are special questions at issue between those Governments and Peru, such as the controversy with France respecting the Darsena contract, in the solution of which this Department does not think it proper to interfere.
The only desire of the Department in this connection is, that all such questions may be settled honorably, and to the satisfaction of both parties.
Should a case arise involving interests of citizens of the United States, the Department will then determine upon such action as may seem proper for the protection of those interests.
I am, etc.,