No. 42.
Mr. Trescot to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

No. 7.]

Sir: I ask to call your attention to a circumstance which may create some embarrassment in the negotiation here.

When I was about leaving Washington the Secretary of State informed me verbally that the President had decided to invite a congress of the North and South American powers to meet at Washington, and (as I understood) that the invitations to the Governments of Chili, Peru, and Bolivia would be placed in my hands to be delivered under such [Page 65] circumstances as would not interfere with the progress of the present negotiation.

These invitations have been sent to the respective ministers accredited to these governments. I think you will appreciate the impossibility of tendering such an invitation to Chili until the result of the negotiation has ascertained our friendly relation. It would be exceedingly unfortunate if either Mr. Hurlbut or Mr. Adams should deem it incumbent upon them to extend this invitation to Peru and Bolivia, while it was not extended to Chili. I have written to both of these gentlemen, asking that they would take no action until after consultation with me. While I hope that they will recognize the propriety of this request, I cannot be sure that they will regard this invitation as belonging to the duties attached to the special mission, and they may, perhaps, regard its communication as belonging to the ordinary duties of the resident legation, with which I am not authorized to interfere.

I have not deemed it judicious to make any reference to it here, for I am apprehensive that the Chilian Government might construe it into a threat of an appeal against its proceedings, especially if I am finally compelled to carry out instruction No. 2.

I have as yet no reason to suppose that the Chilian Government is informed of the invitation, but as it has been already communicated to some of the governments, it cannot be long before it is generally known. If the instructions which I receive in reply to the telegram enable me to negotiate a modification of the terms of peace which can be recommended to Peru, I shall have no hesitation in communicating to the Government of Chili the purpose of the United States.

But if, unfortunately, that should not happen, and the United States should be compelled to withdraw its offer of good offices, it will be equally difficult to communicate the invitation or to withhold it.

In the first case the expression of our grave disapprobation of the refusal of moderate terms of peace may irritate the Chilian Government to a point that may lead to its refusal, putting aside the apparent inconsistency on our part of the two proceedings. While in the latter case the omission of Chili will be so marked as almost to necessitate the withdrawal of the Chilian minister from Washington and the consequent interruption of our friendly relations.

I cannot expect to receive instructions on this subject in time to be relieved from the responsibility which the circumstances may impose upon me, but I trust the Department will appreciate the difficulty in which such a contingency may involve me.

I have, &c.,

WM. HENRY TRESCOT.