Mr. Bonsal to Mr.
Gresham.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Madrid, June 5, 1893.
(Received June 17.)
No. 4.]
Sir: I beg to inclose a copy in English of Mr.
Snowden’s note to the minister of state, in regard to his interview of May
27, under date of May 31, and also the reply in Spanish and English from the
minister of state, under date of June 2.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 4.]
Mr. Snowden to
Señor Moret.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, May 31,
1893.
Excellency: Referring to the happy results
arrived at on the 27th instant, in the conference I had the honor to
have with your excellency and his excellency the minister of Ultramar on
the Carolines incident, I write to say that under my instructions the
conclusions reached and the terms agreed upon are satisfactory to my
Government.
[Page 584]
In our conference it was agreed:
- First. That the American missionaries are to be permitted to
return to Ponapé and resume their civilizing work, under
conditions that will afford protection to their persons and
property.
- Second. His Majesty’s Government agrees to pay to the United
States the sum of seventeen thousand five hundred dollars
($17,500) in full settlement of all claims of the
missionaries.
I beg your excellency will honor me with a note confirming the
above-named agreement entered into by the representatives of His
Majesty’s Government and myself as the representative of the United
States of America.
I avail myself of this opportunity to assure you of the pleasure I
experience at the happy termination of an unfortunate and irritating
incident long pending between our two countries and to convey to your
excellency an expression of my hearty appreciation of your generous and
effective efforts which so largely conduced to its final adjustment.
I seize, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
4.—Translation.]
Señor Moret to Mr.
Snowden.
Ministry of
State,
Palace,
June 2, 1893.
My Dear Sir: On acknowledging receipt of your
excellency’s note dated May 31 last, I have the pleasure to confirm the
good impressions caused to your excellency by your interview with the
minister of the colonies and myself, which took place on the 27th of May
last. In said interview we in fact agreed that in consideration of the
delivery of $17,500 every claim presented to Spain either by the
Methodist missionaries who resided during the last years in the Caroline
Islands, or by Mr. Doane and by the United States Government would
finally be ended.
With regard to the return to the island of Ponapé of the above-mentioned
missionaries your excellency will doubtless remember that in the
alluded-to conference ray colleague, the minister of ultramar (the
colonies) insisted upon the idea that this matter was considered by him
entirely separated and independent from the settlement of the pending
disputes relating to the pecuniary indemnity. In spite of this it is my
duty to say that the Spanish Government never placed any obstacle to
said return, nor does it place any now, but it has always stated that it
(the Government) would consider the said return dangerous as long as the
authorities of that island do not give the Government the assurances
that it has at its disposal permanent means to guarantee their absolute
safety.
It is therefore definitely understood that the Government reserves the
right of fixing the moment when the above referred to missionaries may
return to the island of Ponapé, and that if they should return before
that moment the Spanish Government rejects all responsibility for the
dangers which may be run by their persons and properties.
For my part it is very gratifying to me to state also to your excellency
the pleasure with which his majesty the King’s Government sees the happy
termination of a long-pending controversy and which gave occasion for
unpleasant discussions between both countries.
The United States Government and your excellency, as its worthy
representative, have shown with this motive the friendly dispositions
which Spain gladly acknowledges and which tend to render more intimate
the intercourse with both countries.
I avail, etc.,
