ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

honor to put to me, whether the information received by the United States as to the decree given out by Bolivia is or is not true, I am gratified to inform your excellency that, in fact, my government, in the exceptional circumstances in which Bolivia finds itself as to the other states, for it absolutely does not count upon a single ship at sea, and in order to counteract the aggression of Chili, which possesses a powerful navy, has thought convenient to authorize in its defense the use of privateers, by the supreme decree published on the 26th of March, of the present year.

Your excellency will understand the perfect right that pertains to Bolivia, as she has not adhered to the treaty of Paris, which prohibits the fitting out of privateers; having besides respected the exceptional case which, by the treaty of 1858, exists with the United States, as, allow me to inform your excellency, in the decree issued by my government authorizing the privateers to seize all cargo of Chilian property found on board a neutral vessel, whether a contraband or not, are excluded those cargoes sailing under the United States flag.

With this declaration I have, &c.,

[blocks in formation]

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 29, of the 15th ultimo, conveying the sad intelligence of the death of His Excellency Pedro J. de Guerra, minister of foreign relations of Bolivia, and Acting President of the republic.

The demise of this illustrious man and distinguished statesman, who during his public career manifested a constant and warm friendship for this country, is a source of sincere regret to the United States, and doubtless a national calamity to the people of Bolivia. It is hoped, however, that the loss thus experienced by that people may be measurably repaired by the judicious selection of a worthy successor.

I am, &c.,

No. 66.

Mr. Evarts to Mr. Adams.

WM. M. EVARTS.

No. 3.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 19, 1880.

SIR: I transmit herewith copy of a dispatch received from Mr. Thomas A. Osborn, United States minister to Chili, relative to the proposed exchange of prisoners of war between Chili and Bolivia. You will perceive that Mr. Osborn reports having written to the legation at La Paz on the subject. I have replied to Mr. Osborn that a change had been made in the incumbency of the mission, and that the person who had taken charge of the archives of the legation and consulate-general had not been invested by this government with any official functions, and could not, consequently, act in a diplomatic capacity toward the furtherance of the desired end.

The suggestion made in reference to the exchange of prisoners of war,

like all others of a broadly humane character, has the sympathies of this government, and if the exercise of your good offices within their proper sphere will promote such a result without disparagement to the belligerent rights of any of the combatants, and especially of Peru, as the ally of Bolivia and presumably equally interested with her in such an arrangement, you are authorized to do what you can to promote the interests of humanity in the conduct of this unhappy war.

I am, &c.,

WM. M. EVARTS.

No. 3.]

No. 67.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Evarts.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES TO BOLIVIA,

Lima, Peru, June 14, 1880. (Received July 29.) SIR: I have the honor to report my arrival at this place yesterday, the 13th instant. I was enabled to land at the blockaded port of Callao and reach this city without detention, through the assistance of Captain Brown, U. S. N., commanding the United States ship Alaska, whom by good fortune I met in the harbor of Chimbote, and who kindly placed lus vessel at my disposal on its return trip from Chimbote to Callao. On entering the latter port I called with Captain Brown upon Admiral Rivera, commanding the blockading squadron of Chili on the coast, in order to inform him that in a few days I should land at Mollendo, a blockaded port further south, and request that the railway train which I would take there to proceed to La Paz be not fired upon from his ships, which request was granted readily and most willingly.

Captain Brown has informed me that in about a week he will be ready to take me to Mollendo, and I consider it really fortunate to have met him, as it would have been out of the question for me to visit Lima at all and place myself in communication with Minister Christiancy, which you considered advisable and of importance in your last verbal instructions, and which would have necessitated a land journey of several hundred miles through a desert, for which I was not prepared.

I will not endeavor to report upon events that have lately taken place here, as without doubt you will be advised by those who, being on the ground, have had better facilities to know. I will only state that after the defeat of the allies at Tacna on the 26th ultimo, General Campero, Provisional President of Bolivia, having lost half his army killed in the battle, separated from the Peruvian forces and with the remnant of his own soldiers took the road to Bolivia, promising however, that he would return with a larger force. On the evening before the battle, General Campero had resigned the chief command of the allied forces, which had fallen to him by virtue of the treaty with Peru, stipulating that if the President of either republic should be with the troops, he should be commander-in-chief of the troops of both republics, and had said when surrendering his command that on that day he ceased to be Provisional President of Bolivia, as the Congress of that country, called together to elect a constitutional President that day, had no doubt fulfilled its mission. The latest news from Bolivia, however, up to the 28th ultimo, is that, while said Congress had met on the 25th for the purpose of electing a President, it had failed to take a vote, adjourning from day to day

and occupying the time with making patriotic speeches; evidently waiting for some news from the army. What may have happened in La Paz since that date it is impossible to say, and will be unknown probably for some time, but that perhaps another revolution with or without bloodshed has taken place may be imagined, when the hurried departure of General Campero from Tacna, his own candidature before the Congress for election as constitutional President, and the hesitation of this Congress to proceed to a vote, are considered.

I am anxious to reach my post, and shall wait no longer than the Alaska is obliged to remain off Callao before proceeding to La Paz, although perhaps no time would be lost by remaining here until such time as some result of the action taken by the diplomatic corps should be apparent.

Should the action taken have any result, and possible proposals of peace from Chili be not entirely rejected by the Government of Peru, the latter could not act without also considering the status of Bolivia, and in that case it may be advantageous for me to know the wishes, ideas, and actions of the neutral representatives here, in order to co-operate with them in Bolivia after my arrival. I shall be guided, however, in some measure by the opinion of Minister Christiancy, at whose request I attended a meeting of the diplomatic corps to-day, and who, I find, not only understands the situation thoroughly, but also has considerable influence in the deliberations of that body.

I am, &c.,

CHARLES ADAMS.

No. 4.]

No. 68.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Evarts.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES TO BOLIVIA,

Lima, Peru, June 22, 1880. (Received July 29.) SIR: Since my last dispatch of the 14th instant, in which I had the honor to advise you of the existing uncertainty as to political affairs in Bolivia, advices have reached this city from La Paz to the effect that on the 1st instant General Narciso Campero was elected constitutional President by the Congress, which had met on the 25th ultimo, after his report of the defeat at Tacna had been received, and after it had become known that the remains of his army were scattered and dissolved and that he himself was returning to La Paz with but a few followers.

Taking into consideration the reverses sustained by President Campero in the field, this action of Congress foreshadows a strong government for Bolivia, one that is well supported and therefore likely to endure.

I have the honor also to report that the proceedings of the Bolivian Congress, in its different acts and decrees passed, seem to indicate a further prosecution of the war with Chili, as new levies of men are projected; war material is to be gathered; the revenues of the republic pledged for war purposes, and any correspondence looking towards peace is to be considered treason and to be punished with death.

At the same time that the above news reaches us from La Paz, and without previous intimation whatever, a message of the Dictator of Peru addressed to the council of state is published, submitting a protocol en

tered into by the representatives of both Peru and Bolivia on the 11th instant, looking towards the unification of the two republics into one, with a full constitution for the new republic, subject, however, to a plé biscite; all of which Mr. Piérola highly indorses, and advises its ratifi

cation.

Minister Christiancy will forward copies of the documents relating thereto, and will no doubt also report upon its merits and the probability of its adoption as far as Peru is concerned. Inasmuch as Bolivian advices are entirely silent upon the subject, it is impossible to say whether the people of that country, or even its present government, will agree to this confederation, and I cannot intelligently report thereon until I shall have reached La Paz and examined into the matter thoroughly.

I am notified that the steamer Alaska has finished coaling and will leave for Mollendo to-morrow, so I shall be enabled to reach La Paz by the 1st proximo, where I expect President Campero to be at the same time, and so be able to deliver my credentials to him in person, instead of to the president of the council of ministers, the secretary general of state, or lately the first vice-president, under which different titles different persons have been in power in Bolivia since the flight of President Daza, and the absence from the seat of government of the Provisional President General Campero.

I have, &c.,

No. 69.

CHARLES ADAMS.

No. 22.]

Mr. Adams to Mr. Evarts.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, La Paz, August 5, 1880. (Received October 5.) SIR: Since my last dispatch (No. 13) concerning the political situation of Bolivia, nothing of importance has occurred. Congress is still in session, doing nothing apparently, but said to be engaged in secret sessions to deliberate upon the question of peace or further prosecution of the war.

Two weeks ago the question of peace was not even discussed openly; now two of our journals here propose the necessary preliminaries looking towards an armistice, and within a few days the two most prominent members of the cabinet, Mr. Carillo, of state and foreign affairs, and Mr. Salinas, of war, have been mentioned as favoring such a policy.

Arica, the Peruvian port lately captured by the Chilians, has been opened to Bolivian commerce, but such commerce has been interdicted by the government at the demand of Peru, and in consequence it is now rumored that Chilian troops will shortly move towards this city or Puno, Peru, the latter the only place by which communication is kept open between the allies.

Should this prove true, and it is likely, as the sentiment of Chili demands some action, either place could be occupied by a small force, and then indeed all intercourse between Peru and Bolivia would necessarily

cease.

It is already said that the government here will abandon La Paz and retire to Oruro, and private advices have been received from Tacna that such movement may take place very shortly.

The war party here consoles itself with late news from Lima, stating that several ironclads with war material of all kinds, purchased in the United States, have arrived or will shortly arrive, and will change the aspect of the war materially, and this slim hope keeps off utter despondency.

I rather look forward to an early invasion of Bolivia, and as La Paz will naturally be the object of the enemy's attack, I shall probably have my hands full in protecting property and persons in that event.

Everything, however, is uncertain, and a day may change the whole aspect of affairs.

I have, &c.,

CHARLES ADAMS.

No. 107.]

BRAZIL.

No. 70.

Mr. Hilliard to Mr. Evarts.

UNITED STATES LEGATION,

Rio de Janeiro, June 16, 1879. (Received July 28, 1879.)

SIR: I have in previous dispatches given an account of the discussion of the electoral reform bill in the Chamber of Deputies, and stated that the bill had been ordered to a second reading. All amendments offered by those who, while friendly to the government, opposed some features of that important measure, were voted down.

The bill, with the provisions originally contained in it as described in my previous dispatches, has passed the Chamber of Deputies by a large majority. It is now before the Senate, and it will undergo thorough discussion in that body. The conservative majority is so large in the Senate that the fate of the bill is regarded as doubtful. Still, as the measure is really conservative in its structure, and must be so in its influence, it may pass that body, notwithstanding the fact that it is brought forward by a liberal ministry. Baron de Cotegipe, a member of the late ministry, a man of great ability and a statesman of courage, is the leader of the conservative party in the Senate. It is understood that the conservative senators recently met at the residence of Baron de Cotegipe to confer as to the proper course to be pursued in regard to the electoral reform bill.

I do not know that the report as to the result of the "caucus” is authentic, but it is stated that it is proposed by some of the leading conservative senators to meet the measure submitted to them by the liberal ministry in the boldest way; that is, to incorporate in it the amendment offered in the Chamber of Deputies by Mr. Saldanho Maromho making non-Catholics and naturalized Brazilians eligible to office. This would place the conservative leaders far in advance of the liberal ministry upon the most important political question in this empire. Compared with all other issues of the day, the question of the eligibilidade of nonCatholics and naturalized Brazilians to office is transcendently the greatest. It is impossible to ignore the elements of power that are inherent in the proposition that to-day, in the pressure of the great reforms effected by the civilization of the nineteenth century, all the barriers

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »