Senhor de Mendonça to Mr. Gresham.
Keene Valley N. Y., September 9, 1893. (Received September 11.)
My dear Mr. Gresham: I have read in the New York Herald of yesterday your note addressed to the secretary of the New York Coffee Exchange, in relation to the closing of telegraphic communication between the ports of Brazil and European and American ports.
In this connection I take the liberty of calling your attention to certain facts which may never have been brought to your notice.
By conventions entered into by Brazil in two conferences held by countries whose postal systems are connected with their telegraph lines, the right was secured to each nation forming a part of said conferences, to prohibit the sending of messages either by code signs or in ordinary commercial language, as by previous arrangement such language might easily become a code to cover seditious designs. Such right was to be exercised whenever any of the parties to the conventions considered such a step necessary for the maintenance of the public order.
I would also call your attention to the fact that the cable company, whose president is Mr. James A. Scrymser, can have suffered no injury to its property in Brazil, because it has none there. His line has its South American terminus in Buenos Ayres whence messages sent through its wires must reach points in Brazil through the Brazilian land lines, or the English cables, along the Brazilian coast.
You will allow me to remark that in the present instance, as at the time when ex-Admiral Wandenkolk was making an attempt to capture certain places in the south of the Republic, notice was given at once to the governments of the countries that were parties to the conventions above alluded to, and that if similar notice was not given to the Government of the United States, it was, in all probability, because this country was not a party to the same.
It may be that it was unnecessary to call your attention to the points above set forth, but I trust that in any case you will see in this communication a desire on my part to clear away any difficulties you might find in treating of this question in your capacity as Secretary of State.
But for the fact that the severe illness of one of my daughters detains me here, I should have proceeded at once to Washington to confer with you personally on this matter. I can assure you the interruption in telegraphic communication will continue not one moment longer than the time judged necessary by my Government for the reestablishment of the public order.
I remain, etc.,