Mr. Taylor to Mr.
Gresham.
No. 90.]
Legation of the
United States,
Madrid, December 23, 1893.
(Received January 8, 1894.)
Sir: I have to-day received your cablegram touching
the Mora claim.
I perfectly understand that this claim rests upon an unconditional promise to
pay; and that, under your No. 16, that fact is to define my line of action
in the matter. Thus impressed, I have done my utmost, both by notes and
personal interviews, to obtain a reply to your formal presentation of the
case, at all times remembering your admonition to press it with perfect
courtesy. From time to time I have reported to you the excuses which the
minister of state has given for his delay in the matter, and finally I
transmitted to you (in my No. 72) a translation of his last note to me of
the 24th of November, in which he pleads for still another postponement.
Immediately after the receipt of your
[Page 428]
cablegram, informing me of the receipt of my No. 72, I
addressed to the minister of state a note (a copy of which I inclose), in
which I have endeavored to embody as precisely as possible your last
direction in this matter.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 90.]
Mr. Taylor to Señor
Moret.
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, December 23,
1893.
Excellency: It again becomes my duty to remind
you that the formal note prepared by my Government as to the Mora claim,
dated the 14th of July and delivered to you on the 5th day of August
last, still remains unanswered. On the 12th of September I informed you
that I would be most happy to call upon you at any time that you might
designate for the purpose of the interview upon that subject which you
had suggested in your note of the 21st of August. On the 4th of November
yon explained to me that your absorption in affairs incident to the war
at Melilla had prevented you from fixing a day for the interview, but
that you would endeavor to do so within two weeks from that time. Having
heard nothing from you within the two weeks, I again, on the 21st of
November, addressed you saying that I had just received an urgent note
from my Government calling upon me to explain why the interview
suggested by you in your note of August 21 had never taken place. On the
24th of November you replied that your absorption in grave affairs was
still so great as to compel you to again ask a postponement of the
interview. A copy of that note I transmitted to my Government. I have
to-day been notified of its receipt in a cablegram in which my
Government directs me to respectfully inform you that it thinks it is
entitled to a response to its note of July 14 without further delay.
I seize, etc.,
