File No. 033.1100 K77/116.

The American Minister to the Secretary of State .

No. 84.]

Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 79 of the 5th instant, I have the honor to enclose a copy of a note dated the 2nd instant, which I addressed to Señor Arjona, Minister for Foreign Affairs, conveying to him and to the Panaman Government a repeated expression of the thanks and appreciation of the Secretary of State for the reception tendered to him by the Panaman Government, as well as a copy and translation of the reply of Señor Arjona, dated the 6th instant. Señor Arjona has subsequently taken occasion to thank me for the opportunity afforded to him by my note for placing upon record the sincere appreciation of President Chiari and of the Panaman Government for the Secretary’s visit.

I have [etc.]

H. Percival Dodge.
[Inclosure 1.]

The American Minister to the Secretary of State for Foreign Relations .

Excellency: I have the honor to inform your excellency that I have been requested by his excellency the Honorable Philander Chase Knox, Secretary of State of the United States of America, to convey in his name to your excellency and through your excellency to the Government of Panama a further expression of his sincere thanks and appreciation of the magnificent and cordial reception [Page 1250] so graciously tendered to him during his visit in Panama, in which Ms excellency, was especially pleased to note that representatives of all political parties equally participated.

I avail [etc.]

H. Percival Dodge.
[Inclosure 2.—Translation.]

The Secretary of Mate for Foreign Relations to the American Minister .

Excellency: The information conveyed to this Department by your excellency in your courteous communication of the 2d instant, has been the cause of just gratification to His Excellency in Chargé of the Executive Power.

That high Magistrate greatly appreciates the interest taken by his excellency the Honorable Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State of the United States, in making known to him his appreciation of the entertainments which, in the name of the Panaman Government and people, were organized in his honor during the brief visit with which he honored us in his journey to some of the Central and South American republics. And it is an additional cause of satisfaction to His Excellency in Chargé of the Executive Power that the entertainments organized and demonstrations made should have merited the land acceptance and entire approval of the distinguished American statesman.

The consideration that the festivities should have as a basis the expression of national sentiment and not that of a particular political party, in order to demonstrate in a genuine and sincere manner the cordiality existing between the Panamans and the American Government and people, inspired the Executive to designate special committees for the organization of the reception in honor of the distinguished guest, and, for this reason, all the representatives of the existing political parties had, in the committees nominated, the place of honor to which they were entitled in the demonstration of Panama to his excellency, Mr. Knox. Otherwise, neither the Government nor the people of Panama would have done their duty nor paid homage worthy of the importance of the guest entertained.

Will your excellency be kind enough to inform his excellency the Honorable Mr. Knox of the contents of this communication and assure him, once again, in the name of His Excellency the Designate Charged with the Executive Power, and of this Department, of the impressions of sincere consideration and respect of the Panaman Government and people?

I am [etc.]

Aristides Arjona.