The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-08 00:00:00

The Attitude of Spain Towards Peru,

The Madrid Gazette, of the 3d of June, contains
the following roport of the explanations given on
the 2d June in the Congress, by the Spanish Minister
of Foreign Affairs, in reply to a question of Signor
Lasala

"The Queen's Government, though resolved to
await fresh despatches from Signor SalazAr upon
the recent events in Peru, deemed it necessary that
its policy should be thoroughly understood ; and,
having; no views that it cannot avow in the face of
the world, it has haatened to address to its repre-
sentatives in Paris, London, and 'Washington a
declaration which it considers necessary, in order
that the intcntiocs of Spain should not be doubted.
It is as follows:

THE CHIEF SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN

AFFAIRS.

" Aranjuez, May 24, 1864.
When the present Ministry were honoured by
becoming the counsellors of her Majesty, your Ex-
cellency knows that the resiaent minister in Peru,
Signor Eusebius Salazar y Mazarredo, had already
proceeded to Peru, with the mission of urging com-
plaints concerning the sad events of Talambo. One
of my first cares was to study this affair, and after-
wards to write confidentially to Sig. Salazar, recom-
mending him to use the utmost pradence in the
accomplishment of his mission. It did not enter
into the views of the Queen's Government to pro-
voke or to accept questions in those countries or in
any otter which were not perfectly justified, or to
reject the reasonable satisfaction which might be
given to it in any case in which the honour and the
interests of the nation necessitated persistence. The
last mail from America brought the despatches of
Signor Salazar, indicating the unfortunate turn
taken by this affair, but they do not clearly indi•
cate what Signor Salazar proposed to do. Com-
pelled to await other despatches which will doubt-
less give us some explanations, I have felt bound
to address to your excellency the present despatch,
reiterating to you the assurance, in order that it
may always serve as the rule of your conduct and
in your interviews with the Government to which
you are accredited, and the Spanish Government
does not deny the independence of any American
State, and it has no territorial pretension upon that
part of the world. The differences that it has had,
or teat it may have, with the republics of the New
World will not make it abandon the prudent line
of moderation which it has followed, and which it
will continue to follow ; on the contrary, it will
always regard them as misfortunes, and will try to
terminate them as quickly as possible without de-
manding anything more than is claimed by its
honour and its well understood interests. God
protect your Excellency.",
"The chamber can judge of the frankness and good
faith with which the Queen's Government has pro-
Gtoded. lu its differences with the American States
the Spanish Government, which has no craving for
American territory, will act as all civilised nations
act, protecting merely its interests and its dignity.
After this declaration, which dates from May 24th,
the Government adds that it has received no fresh
despatch from Signor Salazar. It knows, as mem-
bers know, what the newspapers say of this affair.
They deplore these sad events. It naturally awaits
the despatches of Signor Salazar. It cannot be ex-
pected to come to a conclusion before hearing the
representatives of Spain in Peru, and in the present
state of the question it cannot present any docu-
ments whatever, Let the chamber take note of the
formal declaration that I here make, namely, that
the Queen's Government does not wish in any way
to attack the independence of American nations,
that it does not desire to make any conquest, or to
augment its territory in those regions, but that it
energetically sustain in this question, as in every
other, what the dignity and interests of Spain
demand."

Signor Lasals in reply expressed his satisfaction
with this official declaration, and said that until
fresh despatches arrived judgment must necessarily
be suspended upon the subject.