Mr. Sickles to Mr. Fish
Sir: Yesterday being the usual day for the minister of state to receive the members of the diplomatic body, I availed myself of the occasion to ask Mr. Sagasta when I might have the satisfaction of communicating to you his answer to my note of October 14, on the subject of the reclamations I had presented in July last. I remarked to him that Congress would soon meet, and that it would be gratifying to the President to be enabled at least to communicate to the two Houses the fact that these questions were in a fair way of adjustment; and I also observed to his excellency that I [Page 730] thought we might reasonably look for the prompt and friendly action of the government of the Regent upon the several matters I had brought to its notice in the communication mentioned, as they were urged in the interest of the continued good understanding between the two countries, which the President, in his proclamation of October 12, had given a fresh proof of his earnest desire to maintain. The minister replied that, on the receipt of my last note, he had asked the colonial secretary for some additional information, necessary to the further consideration of the subject, which had not yet been received; that he would immediately renew his request, and, as soon as the required data could be obtained, he would acquaint me with the views of the government upon the proposition I had submitted. I proceeded to state that the questions had already been pending several months, that they were of a nature likely to touch the susceptibilities of the American people; that, if the President, in his annual message, should find himself constrained to inform Congress that his repeated overtures to Spain had failed to obtain for the grievances of our citizens the consideration they were entitled to receive at the hands of a friendly power, a painful impression would be made upon public sentiment which I was most anxious should be avoided by the timely and just action of this government. With these observations I left the topic to his excellency, who rather abruptly gave the conversation another direction. I could not fail to notice the reserve with which Mr. Sagasta confined himself to a mere intimation of his intention to reply at an early day to my note of October 14, without indicating any probability of an agreement upon the matters under discussion.
I am, &c.,