File No. 123.G35/46.
The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State.
Habana, September 1, 1912.
In an interview yesterday with the Assistant Secretary of State I read to him the Department’s telegram of August 30, and pointed out the duty and interest of his Government in making, of its own accord, a straightforward statement of charges and of its intention to proceed with the utmost vigor in fulfillment of its duties. I also emphasized the propriety and need of frank consulation with the Legation as to the proposed course of action. At his request I left with him a memorandum based on the telegram above referred to.
Today he handed me a copy of a telegram addressed to the President by President Gómez, without knowledge of the Legation, saying that it was drafted by Sanguily and sent by authorization of President Gómez. Sanguily entirely fails to grasp the significance of the situation and his responsibility therein, manifesting determined disinclination to participate in the situation in any way, in spite of representations made by me and other foreign representatives. The telegram has been given to the press. It avoids all reference to the Reilly payment affair, which is the apparent cause of the entire campaign. This, together with a practical statement that the telegram is sent only under pressure, seems to give added color to a belief that the American Government and its representatives have resorted to bullying tactics, and to leave matters in a worse light than before.