File No. 711.21/142.
The Minister of Colombia to the Secretary of State.
Washington, February 28, 1913.
Excellency: I have the honor to inform your excellency that, according to information which I have just received from my Government, the bases proposed by Mr. DuBois and the minutes of the [Page 309] last conference between the Plenipotentiary of the United States and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Doctor Urrutia, were published today in Bogotá. Doctor Urrutia stated in the said minutes, in the name of the Government of Colombia, that, as the said bases were unacceptable, if it was not possible to obtain by direct negotiation the moral and material reparation which the country demands with perfect justice, no recourse remained except arbitration for the settlement of the question pending between Colombia and the United States.
Mindful of the solemn declaration which the illustrious Mr. Taft as well as his worthy Secretary of State and other eminent personages of this great country have made in favor of arbitration as a means of settling, in civilized countries, international differences of any character whatsoever, my Government hopes that when this means shall have been adopted the good friendship that for so many years existed between Colombia and the United States will soon be reestablished.
Sincerely hoping that we may soon obtain this result, of interest to all America, I renew to your excellency the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.