No. 397.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.
United States
Legation in Spain,
Madrid, March 14, 1873.
(Received April 4.)
No. 554.]
Sir: On the receipt of your cable instruction of the 6th instant I addressed
a note to the minister of state, a copy of which, Appendix A,
[Page 931]
is inclosed, communicating to the
government of the republic the congratulations tendered by Congress to the
people of Spain.
On the following day I received from Mr. Castelar the
reply, translated in Appendix B.
The minister has since intimated to me that the government intends proposing
to the national assembly a suitable answer, to be made in the name of that
body. As the relations between the executive and the present assembly do not
seem as cordial as might be desired, it is not improbable the government may
reserve the matter for the action of the Cortes Constituyentes.
I have, &c.,
[Appendix A.—Translation.]
General Sickles to Mr. Castelar.
Legation of
the United States of America,
Madrid, March 6,
1873.
Sir: The undersigned is instructed by the
President of the United States to communicate to the government of the
Spanish Republic a joint resolution of the American Congress, tendering
its congratulations to the people of Spain, in the name of and on behalf
of the people of the United States, upon the consolidation of the
principles of universal liberty in a republican form of government.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the
United States of America, in acquainting his excellency the minister of
state with this action on the part of Congress, trusts that the
government of the Spanish Republic will see in this emphatic
manifestation of sympathy and fraternity a fresh proof of the amity and
good will the United States have never ceased to cherish for Spain,
their early friend and ally.
The undersigned avails himself of this gratifying occasion to repeat the
assurances of respect and consideration he has heretofore had the honor
to offer to his excellency the minister of state.
[Appendix B.—Translation.]
Mr. Castelar to
General Sickles.
Ministry of
State,
Madrid,
March 7, 1873. (Received March 7.)
Sir: The executive power has learned with the
most profound satisfaction of your note of yesterday’s date, in which
you are pleased to communicate to the government of the Spanish
Republic, under instructions from the President of the United States,
the resolution adopted by the American Congress congratulating the
Spanish people in the name of the people of the United States upon the
proclamation of the republic in Spain, and upon the principles of
liberty inherent to this form of government.
The Spanish nation cannot but see in this act of the Congress of the
United States, as solemn as it was spontaneous, a new proof of the
sentiments of amity and sympathy that have ever existed between the two
countries, and that the community of political institutions they both
possess will tend to bring them closer together, to the mutual benefit
of their interests.
The executive power, as the exponent of this sincere aspiration of the
Spanish people, begs through me that the President of the American
Republic will be pleased to convey this response to the houses of
Congress in Washington, together with the expression of our liveliest
sympathies.
I avail myself of this opportunity to repeat to you, sir, the assurances
of my most distinguished consideration.
