File No. 825.415 A/57.
The special delegates of the United States to the centenary celebration at Santiago to the Secretary of State.
Sir: After the close of the Fourth International Conference of American States, at Buenos Aires, the undersigned, who had composed the delegation of the United States in that assembly, proceeded, in accordance with your instructions, to Santiago, Chile, for the purpose of representing our Government, under the new and special appointments with which we were provided (investing the chairman of the delegation with the rank of ambassador and the rest of the delegation with that of ministers plenipotentiary) at the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Chilean independence.
It gives us pleasure to report that we were received by the Government of Chile with the utmost cordiality. A large house, completely furnished and with a staff of attendants, was placed at our disposal, and from first to last we were cared for, as were the special representatives of other Governments at the centenary, as the guests of the Chilean Nation.
The ambassador of the United States was presented to the Chief Magistrate of Chile on the 10th of September. We inclose herewith the speeches made on that occasion. (Exhibits 1 and 2.)1
The special ministers plenipotentiary of all the powers were presented together on the 12th of September. No speeches were made at their presentation.
We beg leave to state, for your information, that only Italy, the United States, Germany, Japan, Spain, Brazil, and France were represented by ambassadors. We give the ceremonial order in which their ambassadors ranked, as determined by the date of their arrival in Santiago. It is understood that Great Britain was prevented from sending such a representative because of the continuance of the term of mourning for the late King. Bolivia was represented by her Vice President in an ambassadorial capacity.
We inclose herewith an English translation of the program of the centenary. (Exhibit 3.) The official exercises were opened on the 12th of September and closed on the 22d. The item on the 30th of the month was not included in the list of events at which the presence of the foreign representatives was officially requested.
The program, as it stands, is a notable one, but it represents an abbreviation of that which was originally formulated. The change was due to the death of President Montt on the eve of the centenary, a melancholy event, which was soon followed by the demise of Vice President Fernandez Albano, who had succeeded him in the exercise of the functions of Chief Magistrate. In this contingency the functions of the Vice President devolved upon the ranking member of the cabinet, Señor Figueroa, who performed the duties of Chief Executive during the celebration of the centenary, and who will continue to perform them till the inauguration of the new President, Señor Barros Luco, who was nominated, without opposition, during our sojourn in Santiago, and whose election has thus become a formality.
[Page 194]It is beyond the purpose of this report to describe in detail the numerous celebrations on the program of the centenary. The principal day was the 18th of September, which is considered the natal day of Chilean independence. The participation in the exercises of that day of children from the public schools, bearing in their procession Chilean and American flags, was a gratifying feature of the occasion.
We deem it proper to mention the fine appearance made by our squadron, under Admiral Harber, at the naval review at Valparaiso.
We left Santiago on the 22d of September. Our farewell took the form of a banquet, which we tendered to Vice President Figueroa, and which he accepted, for the evening of the 21st. This banquet, which his excellency graced with his presence, was given at the Santiago Club, and was attended by the principal functionaries of the Government, by the special and resident diplomatic representatives, and by numerous and distinguished private citizens. Two speeches were made—one by the American ambassador and the other in the nature of a reply, on behalf of the Vice President, by Señor Izquierdo, minister of foreign relations. Copies of these speeches are hereto annexed.1 (Exhibits 4 and 5.)
We also inclose copies of letters which, on leaving Santiago, we addressed to Señor Izquierdo, to the minister of war and marine, to Señor Sanfuentes, president of the committee on the centenary, and to Señor Jorge Asta-Buruaga. (Exhibits 6, 7, 8, and 9.)
We have, etc.,
- Henry White.
- E. H. Crowder.
- John B. Moore.
- Lamar C. Quintero.
- David Kinley.
- Bernard Moses.
- Paul S. Reinsch.
- Lewis Nixon.