PERU, CHILI, AND THE UNITED STATES. 



745 



effort would be given by Chili to strengthen the Gov- 

 ernment of President Calderon, giving to it the most 

 perfect freedom of action, considering the Chilian 

 occupations ; that no question of Chilian annexation 

 would be touched until a constitutional government 

 could be established in Peru, acknowledged and re- 

 spected by the people, with full power to enter into 

 negotiations for peace ; that no territory would be 

 exacted unless Chili failed to secure ample and just 

 indemnification in other and satisfactory ways, as also 

 ample security for the future, and that in no case 

 would Chili exact territory, save where Chilian enter- 

 prise and Chilian capital had developed the desert, 

 and where to-day nine tenths of the people are Chili- 

 ans." 



But after this recognition, made in entire good faith 

 to both parties, three things followed : 1. The pres- 

 ence of a United States Minister at Lima accredited 

 to the Calderon Government^ and the reception in 

 Washington of a Minister from that Government 

 gave it unquestionable, increased strength and confi- 

 dence. 2. The adherents of Pidrola ? realizing the 

 necessity of peace and the existence ot a stable gov- 

 ernment to negotiate it, gradually abandoned the for- 

 lorn hope of continued resistance, and gave their ad- 

 hesion to the Caldpron Government. 3. The Congress 

 which assembled in the neutral zone set apart for that 

 purpose by the Chilian authorities, and which was 

 further allowed by the Chilian Government to pro- 

 vide for the military impositions by the use of tho 

 national credit, and thus recognized as the representa- 

 tives of the Peruvian people, authorized President 

 Calderon to negotiate a peace, but upon condition 

 that no territory should be ceded. As soon as these 

 facts indicated the possibility of a real and independ- 

 ent vitality in the constitution of the Calderou Gov- 

 ernment, the Chilian military authorities issued an 

 order forbidding any exercise of its functions within 

 the territory west of the mountains, including the 

 capital and ports of Peru. Unable to understand this 

 sudden and giving due regard to the professions of 

 Chili this unaccountable change of policy, this 

 Government instructed its Minister at Lima to con- 

 tinue to recognize the Calderon Government until 

 more complete information would enable it to send 

 further instructions. If our present information is 

 correct, immediately on the receipt of this communi- 

 cation they arrested President Calderon, and thus, aa 

 far as was in their power, extinguished his govern- 

 ment. The President does not now insist on the in- 

 ference which this action would warrant. He hopes 

 that there is some explanation which will relievo 

 him from the painful impression that it was taken in 

 resentful reply to the continued recognition of tho 

 Calderon Government by the United States. If, un- 

 fortunately, he should be mistaken, and such a mo- 

 tive be avowed, your duty will be a brief one. 



You will say to the Chilian Government that the 

 President considers such a proceeding as an inten- 

 tional, unwarranted offense, and that you will com- 

 municate such an avowal to the Government of tho 

 United States, with the assurance that it will bo 

 regarded by the Government as an act of such un- 

 friendly import as to require the immediate suspen- 

 sion of all diplomatic intercourse. You will inform 

 me immediately of the happening of such a <.>n 

 tingency, and instructions will be sent to you. 

 do not anticipate such an occurrence from the infor- 

 mation before the department of which you are pos- 

 sessed. It is more probable that that course will bo 

 explained by an allegation that the conduct and lan- 

 guage of the United States Minister in Peru had en- 

 couraged the Calderon Government to such resistance 

 of the wishes of Chili as to render tho negotiation of 

 a satisfactory treaty of peace with the Calderon Gov- 

 ernment impossible. Any explanation which relieve* 

 the action of the Chilian Government of the charac- 

 ter of an intentional offense will be received by you 

 to that extent, provided it does not require as a 

 condition precedent the disavowal of Mr. ilurlbut. 



Wliatever may be my opinion as to the discretion of 

 all that may have been said or done by Mr. Ilurlbut, 

 it is impossible for me to recognize tho right of Uie 

 Chilian Government to take such action without sut>- 

 mitting to the consideration of this Government any 

 cause of complaint which it was prepared to allege 

 against the prooeedinjfs of the repnMOtathr of the 

 L nited Status. The Chilian Government was in pos- 

 session of the instructions sent to that Minister, as 

 well as those to his colleague at Santiago ; there was 

 no pretense that the conduct of General Kilpatriek 

 was anything but friendly ; Chili was represented 

 here by a Minister who enjoyed tho confidence of his 

 Government, and nothing can justify the assumption 

 that the United States was acting a double part in its 

 relations to the two countries. If the conduct of the 

 United States M'mi.-U-r seemed inconsistent with what 

 Chili had every reason to know was the friendly in- 

 tention of the United States, a courteous representa- 

 tion through the Chilian Minister hen would have 

 enabled this Government promptly to correct or con- 

 firm him. You are not, therefore, authorized to make 

 to the Chilian Government any explanation of the 

 conduct of General Ilurlbut, if that Government, not 

 having afforded us the opportunity of accepting or 

 disavowing his conduct, insists upon making it.- in- 

 terpretation of his proceedings the justification of its 

 recent action. 



It is hoped, however, that you will be able, bv com- 

 munication at once firm and 'temperate, to avoiJ these 

 embarrassments. If you should fortunately reach the 

 ground where frank mutual explanation can be made 

 without the sacrifice of that respect which every gov- 

 ernment owes to itself, you will then be at liberty, con- 

 forming your explanation to the recent instruction to 

 Mr. Hurlbut, with a copy of which you are furnished, 

 to show to the Government of Chili how much both his 

 words and acts have been misconceived. It is difficult 

 for me to say now how far an explanation would be sat- 

 isfactory to the President which was not accompanied 

 by the restoration or recognition of the Calderon Gov- 

 ernment. The objects which he lias at heart are first 

 to prevent the misery, confusion, and bloodshed which 

 tho present relations between Chili and Peru seem 

 only too certain to renew ; and, second, to take care 

 that in any friendly attempt to reach this desirable 

 end the Government of the United States is treated 

 with the respectful consideration to which its disin- 

 terested purposes, its legitimate influence, and its es- 

 tablished position entitle it. The President feels in 

 this matter neither irritation nor resentment. Ho re- 

 grets that Chili seems to have misconceive' 1 both the 

 spirit and intention of the Government <>f the I'nited 

 States, and thinks her conduct haslx-en inconsiderate. 

 He will gladly learn that a calmer and wiser judgment 

 directs her counsels, and a>ks in no exacting spirit tho 

 correction of what were perhaps natural misunder- 

 standings. So he would bo satisfied with the mani- 

 festation of a sincere purpose on tho part of Chili t-> 

 aid Peru either in restoring the present Provisional 

 Government, or establishing in it* place one which 

 will bo allowed tho proper freedom of action necessary 

 to restore internal order^ and to conduct a real nego- 

 tiation to some substantial result. 



Should the Chilian Government, while disclaiming 

 any intention of offense, maintain it* right to s* ' 

 difficulties with Peru without the friendly interven- 

 tion of other powers, and refu.-e to allow the forma- 

 tion of any government in Peru which din-snot pledge 

 to consent to the cession of Peruvian territory, it will 

 be vour duty, in language as strong as is consistent 

 with the respect dueanlndcp : . to express 



tho disappointment and dissatisfaction felt by the 

 I'nited States at such a deplorable policy. You will 

 say that this Government recognizes without reserve 

 the right of Chili to adequate Indemnity for the cost of 

 war, and u sutlicicnt guarantee that it will not again 

 be subjected U> hostile demonstration from Peni ; and, 

 further, that if Peru is unable or unwilling to furnish 

 such indemnity, tho right of conquest has put it in tho 



