File No. 853.00/169.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Lisbon, February 10, 1911.
Sir: During the course of a conversation yesterday with the minister for foreign affairs, he brought up the subject of recognition and at length expressed his regret that the United States had not followed the example of Brazil and other Latin-American countries by tendering unqualified recognition soon after the proclamation of the Republic. He said that it had been a great surprise to the members of the Provisional Government to see the United States follow the lead of the monarchical European countries in its attitude toward the Portuguese Republic.
I endeavored to explain to the minister that the action of our Government with respect to the new Republic is based on the precedents of the policy which has been followed by the United States in what concerns the recognition of provisional governments in other countries and that as soon as the Portuguese people shall determine, by means of a decisive vote of the Constituent Assembly or in any other unquestionable manner, the form and character of the future government of the country, I felt sure that the United States would be among the first to establish official relations with the government which shall be constituted in accordance with the will of the people of Portugal. As examples I mentioned the attitude of the United States with respect to the proclamation of the Republic in France and Brazil. Mr. Machado replied that he understood the attitude of the United States on this question to be based on precedent, but he thinks an exception should be made in this case in view of the undisputed control of the country by the Republicans, in accordance with the unanimous, in his opinion, wishes of the Portuguese people. He went on to say that, while the Provisional Government does not wish to beg recognition from any country, he hoped that the United States, as a Republic, would see fit to encourage the infant Republic by early recognition. I agreed to transmit his statement to you, but I gave him no encouragement and avoided a prolonged discussion of the subject. It is now rumored that the Constituent Assembly will meet in May, but nothing definite has been decided and the electoral law has not yet been decreed. * * *
I have, etc.,