No. 4.
Mr. Frelinghuysen to Mr. Osborn

No. 169.]

Sir: The President, through the medium of your legation, in November last, extended to the government of the Argentine Republic an invitation to be represented at a congress of American States which it was proposed to hold in Washington on the 22d day of November next, for the purpose of considering questions connected with the preservation of peace on the American continent, and it is presumed that you have, in compliance with the Department’s instructions, communicated the invitation to the Argentine Government.

At the time that proposal was put forth, the President expressed the fervent hope that by the date fixed for the meeting of the congress the questions now dividing some of the republics of the southern continent would have disappeared, and that the representatives of the several commonwealths could meet with freedom to discuss the future aspects of the question, unaffected by any existing national difficulties.

The President, however, now directs me to instruct you to inform the government of the Argentine Republic that inasmuch as that peaceful condition of the South American republics which was contemplated as essential to a profitable and harmonious assembling of the Congress does not exist, and he having, besides, on the 18th day of April, 1882, submitted the proposition to Congress without evoking an expression of its views on the subject, and no provision having been made by it for such a Congress, he is constrained to postpone the projected meeting until some future day.

While thus giving due notification to the friendly governments interested, the President cannot but express his belief that the fact of such a congress having been called has not been without benefit, it having directed the attention of the people of the United States, as well as of the republics of South America, to the importance of having a more defined policy, to be satisfactory to all, governing the international relations of the republics.

You will communicate this dispatch to the minister for foreign relations of the Argentine Republic at an early day, by reading it to him, and, if he shall so desire, leaving with him a copy of it.

I am, &c.,

FRED’K T. FRELINGHEYSEN.