Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-13
CHILL AND PERU.
Further Instructions by Sec
rotary Blame.

WAsHISGrox, Dec. IL.
The following additional dispatch to Min
listers Hurlbut has been furnished for publ
| cation at the Department of State:
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1881.
To Stephen A. Hurlbut Esq, Lima,
Sir-Your dispatches to No. 23, inclusive,
| have been received, and 1 learn with regret
that construction has been put upon your
| language and conduct indicating policy OF
active intervention on the part OF this gov
eminent beyond the scope of your instruc-
| TONS As those instructions were clear and
explicit, and as this Department is in the
possession of information which would seem
| to require the Withdrawal of the confidence
imposed in you. must consider this inter-
probation of YOUR words and acts as the re-
suit of some strange and, perhaps, preJu-
diced misconception. NV only material for
| forming an opinion consists of your men,
orandum to Admiral Lynch your letter to
Senor Garcia, the secretary of Gen. Pierola,
and the convention with President Calderon,
ceding a naval to the United States. l would
| have preferred that you should hold no COM
munication with Admiral Lynch on questions
of diplomatic character. He was present as
a military commander of the Gillian forces.
and you were accredited to Peru.
| Nor do conceive that Admiral LYNCH as
the commander of the Gillian army Of occu-
patton had any right to ask or to receive any
informal assurance from YOU as to the opin-
| ions of your government. The United
| States was represented in Chill by proper
ly accredited Minister, and from his own
government the Admiral could and ought to
| have received any information which it was
important for him to have. 1t was to be ex-
pected and even desired, that frank and
1 frip hot
but cannot consider such confidential COM
munication as justifying formal appeal to
your colleague in Chill for correction or
criticism of your conduct. IT there was
anything in your proceedings in Peru to
which the government of Chill could proper
ly take exception, direct representation to
to this government through the Chilian Min
lister here, was due both to the government
| and to yourself.
Having said this, must add that the
language of the memorandum was capable
of not unnatural misconception. While you
said nothing that may not fairly be consid-
dered warranted by your instructions, you
omitted to say with equal emphasis, some
things which your instructions supplied and
which would perhaps, have relieved the SEN
sitive apprehensions of the Chilian authOri-
ties. For while the United States would I'M
questionably regard with disfavor the impe-
riOus annexation Of Peruvian territory as the
right of conquest, you were distinctly in
| formed that this government could not refuse
that such annexation might become neces
sary condition in final treaty of peace.
And the main purpose of your effort was
expected to be not so much a protest against
any possible annexation, as an attempt bv
friendly. but unofficial communications with
the CHILEAN authorities, with whom you were
daily aSsOciated) to induce them to support
the policy of giving to Peru, without the in
terpOsition of harsh and absolute conditions
precedent, the opportunity to show that the
rights and interest of Chill could be satisfied
without such annexation.
There is enough in your memorandum, if
carefully considered, to indicate this purpose
and | only regret that you did not state it
with dstnctness, and if necessary. with
repetition, which would have left it impossi.
bic for anything but the most wilful miscon.
ception. And as at present advised, must
express disapproval of your letter to Senior
Garcia, secretary of Gen. Pierola. think
that your proper course in reference to Gar
cias communication, would have been to
entirely ignore it as claiming an official char
acter which you could not recognize, or if
you deemed that courtesy required reply,
to state that you were accredited to the Cal
deron government and could, therefore know
no other, and any communication which Gen.
Pierola thought it his duty or interest to
make must be made directly to the govern
ment at Washington.
You had no responsib lily in the matter,
and it was injudicious to assume any. The
recognition of the Calderon government had
been duly considered and decided by your
own government, and you were neither in
structed nor expected to furnish Gen. Pierola
or the Peruvian public with the reasons for
that action.
The following language in your letter to
Senior Garcia might well be misunderstood
Chill desires and asks for Tarapaca, and
recognize the government which agrees to its
cession. The Calderon government will not
cede it. and it remains to be seen whether
that of Pierola will be more pliable.
1t might be supposed, by excited public
opinion on either side, such language intend
ed to imply that the government of the United
States has recognized the government of
Calderon, because of its resolution not to
cede Peruvian territory, no such motive has
ever been declared by the government. The
government of Calderon was recognized be-
cause we believed it to be in the interest of
both Chill and Peru that some respectable
authority should be recognized which could
restore internal order and initiate RESPONSE
sible negotiations for peace.
| The dispatch was was continued at great
length, but owing to the lack of time we are
unable to publish the remainder today