No. 43.
Mr. Walker Blaine to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

No. 7.]

Sir: Referring to Department’s instructions numbered 15 and 17, addressed to Mr. Kilpatrick, I have the honor to inform you that, in accordance with the permission given in a letter received from Mr. Trescot, a copy of which you will receive as an inclosure to his dispatch numbered 8, I availed myself of the interview appointed by Mr. Balmaceda, secretary of state for foreign affairs, with Mr. Trescot, and, [Page 66] with the latter’s permission, accompanied him to Mr. Balmaceda on Tuesday last, the 31st ultimo.

After some remarks upon other topics by Mr. Balmaceda, Mr. Trescot stated to him the object for which I had come, saying to him:

You are doubtless aware, sir, of the friendly interest which the United States has for some time manifested in endeavoring to procure a concerted system of action on the part of the powers of the western continent which might lead to some united policy on their part tending to the perpetuation of peace, the avoidance of international wars, and possibly the settlement of disputed points by arbitration. During the past year the United States has been appealed to by Guatemala to exert its good offices in settling the question of boundary existing between Guatemala and the neighboring Republic of Mexico; it has been requested by Venezuela to assist her in regulating the question of her debt to foreign countries, and I venture to also call to your recollection the happy influence exerted by our ministers to Chili and to the Argentine Republic in aiding the two governments to harmoniously decide a question of boundary, which seemed, at one time, to threaten serious consequences. I mention these facts as showing the spirit in which the United States proffers the invitation, for the purpose of presenting which on the part of his government Mr. Blaine has accompanied me this morning. The invitation is dated in November, 1881, and the date of the congress is fixed for November of the present year. I desired, however, before permitting the presentation of the invitation to Chili, to make sure that the invitations to Bolivia and Peru were presented to those governments at the same time, as, if such an invitation should be presented to one government and not to either of the others, such a fact might, in the present condition of affairs between the three republics, lead to misunderstanding. The letter addressed to General Adams, instructing him to invite the Government of Bolivia, was among the intercepted dispatches which came into my hands last week. As I am now assured that the letter will reach General Adams, and, as I am informed that Mr. Hurlbut has received the invitation for Peru, I have told Mr. Blaine that I thought it best that the invitation should now be given to your government. That the proposed congress has no bearing upon the question of existing hostilities you will see when Mr. Blaine shall have read to you the invitation.

To this Mr. Balmaceda replied:

The subject of a conference of American nations, both including and without the United States, has been brought to the attention of my government by the United States of Colombia some time since, and on other occasions. My government has never yet decided as to what course it would pursue with reference to such matters, and I cannot give any answer without first consulting my government. May I ask what is the full purpose of this Congress.

To this Mr. Trescot replied that no answer would at this time be expected from the Government of Chili; that I was prepared to leave a copy of the invitation; that the government might take the question into consideration, and that the question as to the object of the proposed congress would be best answered by permitting me to read the invitation.

This I was about to do, when Mr. Balmaceda said:

It would, perhaps, be better not to deliver the invitation, as I have received telegraphic information that the Government of United States has abandoned this proposed congress—

and then went on to give further details of his knowledge as to the action of the United States, which it is unnecessary for me to repeat, as they referred to other matters, and are fully set forth in Mr. Trescot’s dispatch of this date, numbered 8.

I could not but think that it was possible that the secretary might have been misinformed, but concluded that it was best not to further press the matter. The fact that the United States had proposed such a congress had been brought to his attention, and if, Mr. Balmaceda’s information proving incorrect, I should hereafter be instructed to deliver the invitation, the delay in delivering it cannot create embarrassment, as I have desisted from now delivering it at his own request.

Awaiting your further instructions with regard to this subject, I have, &c.

WALKER BLAINE.