Mr. Seward to Mr.
Washburn.
No. 78.]
Department of State, Washington,
November 17, 1868.
Sir: Your dispatch from Buenos Ayres of the
26th of September last, giving an account of events at the close of your
mission in Paraguay, has been received. The letter of this department to
the Secretary of the Navy, a copy of which is inclosed, has been
approved by the President. Any further measures which may be adopted
will await developments.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles A. Washburn, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Seward to Mr. Welles.
Department of State, Washington,
November 17, 1868.
Sir: A dispatch was received yesterday from
Charles A. Washburn, esq., late United States minister to Paraguay,
which was written at Buenos Ayres on the 26th of September last. The
dispatch shows that a controversy has been carried on for some time
between him and the President of Paraguay. The merits of the
controversy cannot be fully understood until a copy of the
correspondence itself shall have been received, which is daily
expected. Meantime Mr. Washburn’s dispatch conclusively shows that
the situation of all foreigners, including United States citizens at
Asuncion, is greatly imperilled, and that especially Porter C. Bliss
and George F. Masterman, United States citizens, lately in some way
connected with the United States legation, have suffered personel
violence, and have perhaps been murdered. A dispatch has been
received from Mr. Webb, United States minister at Rio, in which he
states that he has requested Rear-Admiral Davis, commanding the
South Atlantic squadron, to send or to proceed with an adequate
naval force to Asuncion, to protect American citizens. Mr. Webb is
unable to inform the department whether Admiral Davis would assume
the responsibility of complying with this request without special
instructions from this government.
The situation thus presented seems to me so critical that I have
thought it my duty to advise the President that the rear-admiral
should be instructed to proceed with an adequate force at once to
Paraguay, and take such measures as may be found necessary to
prevent violence to the lives and property of American citizens
there, and, in the exercise of a sound discretion, to demand any
other prompt redress for any extreme insult or violence that may
have been arbitrarily committed against the flag of the United
States or their citizens.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
