Mr. Gomez to Mr. Seward.
Sir: The manifest and legitimate interest with which all the nations of this continent have followed the current of the discussions and the hostilities between the republics of the Pacific and Spain, which unfortunately [Page 646] keep up the misunderstanding between them and that nation, and the disinterested wishes always indicated by your excellency’s government to witness the termination of a state of things as prejudicial to neutrals as to the belligerents themselves, who are bound together by equal ties and antecedents, cause the minister plenipotentiary of Nicaragua and Honduras to believe that neither your excellency nor your government will regard it as officiously inopportune that the undersigned has the honor of making known to you that in virtue of orders from the governments which he represents in Washington, he addressed himself on the 4th instant to the representatives of Peru, Spain, and Chili, offering the good offices of the states belonging to Central America to co-operate, either in the acceptance by the belligerents of the mediation offered in the year last past by the United States to put an end to the contest, or for bringing about by some other measures an agreement to open negotiations for peace, or to settle on some basis, or agree on somewhat which may ulteriorly serve to treat upon.
As was to be hoped from indications confidentially interchanged with the ministers of Spain and Peru, with whom, before coming to this country, the undersigned had the honor of personal acquaintance, the offer of the good offices of Honduras and Nicaragua was welcomed by them and by the worthy representative of Chili with expressive demonstrations of appreciation and satisfaction, and was transmitted to Madrid, to Lima, and to Santiago.
In having the satisfaction of making known to you what is here stated, the writer has the honor to offer to you the sentiments of consideration with which he remains,
Your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.