Mr. Asboth to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in connection with my report of the 15th instant, marked No. 1, that on the day following my arrival in this capital—that is to say, on the 15th instant—I addressed a note to Señor Dr. Don Rufino de Elizalde, minister for foreign affairs of the Argentine Republic, a copy of which I beg leave to enclose, marked A, requesting that he would be pleased to ascertain the wishes of his Excellency the President as to the delivery of my letter of credence, as minister resident of the United States of America. Two days after, on the 17th instant, I received in answer, from the secretary for foreign affairs, an official note, a copy of which I also beg leave to enclose, marked B, appointing Saturday the 20th instant, at 1 o’clock p. m., for the interview solicited.
At the appointed hour, the assistant secretary for foreign affairs, Señor Don Delfin B. Huergo, with an aide-de-camp of his excellency the vice-president, called upon me, and placing the state carriage at my disposal, escorted myself,, accompanied (in several other carriages) by Captains P. Crosby and C. H. Wells, of the United States navy, with several of their officers, also by Mr. Hinton Rowan Helper, United States consul, and Mr. Thomas Livingston, interpreter to the national government house, where a guard of honor, with a military band of music, and a large number of citizens, densely crowding the surroundings of the hall of audience, awaited us.
I was formally received by the vice-presideni, Dr. Don Marcos Paz, surrounded [Page 287] by several military and civil officers, and presenting my credential letter, I addressed his excellency as follows :
“Mr. President: I have the honor to present my credentials as minister resident of the United States of America, and in doing so I beg leave to state to your excellency that it shall be not only my duty but my highest pleasure to uphold and foster, both officially and personally, the friendly relations which have hitherto so long and so happily subsisted between the two sister republics.
“Permit me also to express the confident hope of the government I have the honor to represent, and my own heartfelt desire, that the wise administration of your excellency may secure and promote the blessings of peace and prosperity among all the people of the Argentine Confederation for many, very many, years to come.”
The vice-president replied as follows :
“Mr. Minister: With the utmost pleasure I receive the despatches accrediting you near the Argentine government as resident minister for the United States of America.
“Before your arrival, you had already a clear and fine road open to you for the easy and agreeable fulfilment of your mission; for it is well known how much sympathy and respect the Argentine nation feels towards the great republic of the north, which has served as the model for our political institutions; and it is our noble ambition to reach one day the point of liberty and progress from which your country looks down at present on an astonished universe.
“Be assured, Mr. Minister, that the Argentine nation accepts with pride the title of ‘sister republic,’ with which you just saluted us, and this title moreover expresses the mutual esteem that binds our countries together, and tends to strengthen the ties of amity and commerce, which have always happily been loyal and sincere.
“May Heaven guard these friendly relations for successive ages, and favor our country, as you desire, with the same blessings of peace and liberty that it has so prodigally bestowed on the United States.
“Regarding yourself, personally, Mr. Minister, you come among us preceded by a high and honorable reputation, and I trust that you will be a worthy successor of Mr. Kirk, whose noble character has left profound sympathies among us.”
A very friendly conversation followed, in which several of the ministers present joined. We retired from the reception hall, being escorted back to my hotel by the assistant secretary for foreign affairs and the aide-de-camp of his excellency the vice-president.
The whole affair passed of very pleasantly, and argues a long continuation of friendly relations between the two nations.
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I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.