No. 208.
Mr. Morgan to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

No. 332.]

Sir: On the receipt of Department dispatch No. 199, November 29, I addressed a note to Señor Mariscal, asking him to appoint a day and hour upon which I could read it to him. A copy of my note I inclose. Señor Mariscal replied that he would receive me at the foreign office on Friday, the 16th instant. A translation of his note I inclose.

[Page 383]

I kept the appointment, read to hirn your dispatch, and left with him a copy thereof. I also, in a separate note, conveyed to the President of Mexico, through the foreign secretary, the formal invitation of the President of the United States to name two commissioners to a congress of the independent countries of North and South America to be held at the city of Washington, on the 24th day of November, 1882. A copy of my note I inclose. Señor Mariscal informed me that he would lay the matter before the President and promised an early reply to the invitation.

On the 22d December I received your dispatch No. 201, December 1, in which you informed me that there was an error of date in your dispatch No. 199, December 1, and that the 22d of November, 1882, should be substituted for “24th.” This correction I made in a note which I addressed to Senor Mariscal on the 22d December, 1881, a copy whereof I inclose.

The receipt of this note Senor Mariscal acknowledged on the 22d December, 1881. A translation of his note I inclose.

On the 29th December I received your dispatch No. 202, December 3. On the 31st December in an interview which I had of Senor Mariscal I stated to him that the proposed congress was to be held under the auspices of the United States, and that the commissioners appointed thereto would be at no expense except for their maintenance while in attendance upon the sessions thereof.

The opportunity presented itself for me to suggest that it would be advisable that one at least of the commissioners to be appointed should be acquainted with the English language, and I took advantage of it.

Señor Mariscal said that he supposed the Mexican minister at Washington and some one from Mexico would be appointed. He did not, however, inform me that his government had determined upon sending any commissioners. To avoid any possible misapprehension on the part of the Mexican Government as to the purpose of the United States in respect of the expenses of the proposed congress, I deemed it proper to address him a note upon the subject, which I did on the 3d January. A copy whereof I inclose. You will observe that it is an extract from your dispatch (No. 202).

More than a fortnight having expired since my interview with Señor Mariscal, and not having received any communication from him upon the subject, I have considered it proper to inform you of what has taken place.

I am, sir, &c.,

P. H. MORGAN.
[Inclosure in No. 332.]

Mr. Morgan to Señor Mariscal.

Sir: I have been instructed to read and to leave with your excellency a copy of a dispatch from the Secretary of State, dated at Washington, the 29th November, and I have to request that you will name a day and hour when it will suit your convenience to give me an audience.

I renew to your excellency, &c.,

P. H. MOEGAN.
[Page 384]
[Inclosure 2 in No. 332.—Translation.]

Señor Mariscal to Mr. Morgan.

Mr. Minister: In reply to the polite note of your excellency of yesterday, in which you desired me to name a time for an interview with me, for the purpose of reading a dispatch from the Secretary of State at Washington, I have the honor to say to-your excellency that I shall be pleased to meet you here on Friday next, 16th instant, at 12 o’clock noon.

I renew to your excellency, &c,

IGNO. MARISCAL.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 332.]

Mr. Morgan to Señor Mariscal.

Sir: Referring to the interview which I have this day had of your excellency, and to the copy of the dispatch to me from the Secretary of State, under date of the 29th November last, which I have handed to you, I now, in the name of the President of the United States, tender through yon to His Excellency the President of the Mexican Republic, a formal invitation to send two commissioners to a general congress of all the independent countries of North and South America to be held in the city of Washington on the 24th day of November, 1882,. for the purpose of considering and discussing the methods of preventing war between the nations of America, the two commissioners to the congress to be provided with such powers and instructions on behalf of the Mexican Government as will enable them to consider the questions brought before that body within the limits of submission contemplated by this invitation, which is-fully set forth in the dispatch, a copy of which I have furnished you with; and to this invitation I would respectfully intimate that as prompt an answer may be given as the just consideration of so important a proposition will permit.

I renew to your excellency, &c.,

P. H. MORGAN.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 332.]

Mr. Morgan to Señior Mariscal.

Sir: Referring your excellency to the copy of the dispatch of the 29th ultimo, which I read to your excellency, I am now instructed by the Department of State to say, that through an error of copy the day for the assembling of the proposed peace congress is given as the 24th of November, 1882. It should be the 22d. I renew to your excellency, &c.,

P. H. MORGAN.
[Inclosure 5 in No. 332.—Translation.]

Señor Mariscal to Mr. Morgan.

Mr. Minister: I have had the honor to receive your excellency’s note of this date, in which, referring to the dispatch of the Secretary of State of the United States, of the 29th of November, ultimo, you were pleased to say to me that, by an error of copy, the date for the assembling of the proposed peace congress should be the 22d.

I renew to your excellency, &c,

IGNO. MARISCAL.
[Page 385]
[Inclosure 5 in No. 332.]

Mr. Morgan to Señor Mariscal.

Sir: Referring your excellency to the dispatch from the Secretary of State under date of the 29th November last, a copy of which I left with you on the 13th December, relating to the proposed holding of a general congress to be composed of representatives from all the independent countries of North and South America, on the 22d November, 1982, I deem it proper to say to your excellency that it is proposed that the congress shall be held under the auspices of the Government of the United States, which, to this end, will supply a suitable hall for the meetings of the commissioners, will take charge of all necessary arrangements, and, at its own expense, will meet all the material requirements of the congress, reporting and interpreting the proceedings and printing the resultant protocols, in Spanish and English, for the use of all the parties. Secretaries, clerks, and copyists in both languages will be provided and paid by the United States—no expense being left to the invited countries except the maintenance of their own commissioners.

I renew to your excellency, &c.,

P. H. MORGAN.