Mr. Hicks to Mr.
Gresham.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Lima, April 15, 1893. (Received May
8.)
No. 486.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 485 of April 10, I have to
say that on the 11th I received a telegram from the Department expressing
gratification at the reply of the Peruvian foreign office, and the hope of a
speedy fulfillment of its promises. I then replied to the note of Dr.
Chacaltana, minister of foreign affairs, conveying the substance of the
telegram, and requiring as forcibly as was consistent with the dignity of
the subject a speedy settlement of the affair.
In order that there should be no reasonable excuse for delay, I verbally
directed the consul at Callao, Mr. A. J. Daugherty, to direct the consular
agent to present his claim for indemnity at once, and I have received a note
from Mr. Daugherty, in which he states that on the 13th he cabled the
consular agent to send in his claim, and that he has received a reply to the
effect that the claim would be sent in immediately.
I have reason to believe that if the claim presented by the consular agent is
reasonable, the Government will settle it at once.
I append a copy of my note to the foreign office and of the telegram received
from the Department.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 486.]
Mr. Hicks to Señor
Chacaltana.
Legation of the United States,
Lima, April 11,
1893.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of the note of your excellency, dated April 8, in regard to the
recent attack upon the consular agency of the United States at Mollendo.
I have read with much pleasure the courteous and friendly statement
therein made to the effect that the Government of your excellency
expressly asserts its reprobation of the action of the mob at that time,
as well as regret for the inefficiency of the police force and the
failure of the gens d’armes to give the necessary
protection to the consular agent of the United States. I am also greatly
pleased at the promise of your excellency that the Government of Peru
will at once order a judicial examination of the affair, to the end that
the guilty participants may be punished and the sufferers may be
indemnified for their injuries, and that the subprefect in charge at the
time will be put upon trial to determine whether or not he was guilty of
complicity in the unfortunate affair.
While the eminently fair and honorable position taken by your excellency
in this matter is in strict accord with the line of conduct followed by
all high-minded nations, and is exactly what I had expected from your
excellency, it affords me additional satisfaction to know that your
proposition for a settlement of this unfortunate affair was entirely
spontaneous, and if it is carried out in the same friendly spirit it
will serve to strengthen the good feeling which has so long existed
between the two countries, and will be particularly gratifying to the
Government which I represent.
I will add for your excellency’s pleasure that on receipt of yours of the
8th instant I at once notified my Government by cable of its contents
and have received a prompt reply to the effect that the President is
gratified at the promises conveyed in your excellency’s note, and that
he confidently awaits their prompt fulfillment, which I am directed to
report at once.
I trust, therefore, that I shall soon have the great pleasure of
notifying the Department at Washington that the Government of your
excellency has complied with the propositions made in your note and that
the incident is terminated to the mutual satisfaction of all
concerned.
I improve, etc.,
