Alexander S. Asboth to Señor Dr. Don Rufino de Elizalde, October 22, 1866

Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency that while on my way from the United States of America to this capital an official despatch was handed me in London, on the 6th of September, dated at the Department of State, Washington, April 21st, 1866, and addressed to my predecessor, the Hon. Robert C. Kirk, but received by him only on the 5th of September. This despatch, unfortunately much delayed, contains the information “that the government of the United States has learned with much surprise that the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, minister resident of the United States to the Republic of Paraguay, has been hindered and detained at or near Corrientes, on the river Parana, by the allied armies engaged in war against Paraguay, on his return, after a leave of absence to Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, and that the United States government sincerely hopes to learn that the President of the Argeutine Republic has neither ordered nor approved of the hindrance to the passage of the diplomatic representative of the United States, so disrepectful in itself, and so entirely inconsistent with the law of nations.”

In connection with this information, my predecessor was instructed “to bring the subject to the notice of the government of the Argentine Republic, and to ask an explanation.”

On my arrival at this capital, on the 14th instant, under commission as minister resident of the United States of America to the government of the Argentine Republic, I found the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, the regularly accredited minister resident of the United States to Paraguay, still in this city, prevented, as he informs me, by the allied armies of the Argentine Republic, Brazil, and Uruguay, from proceeding to his post of duty. Day before yesterday, however, I had the honor to receive, in the reply of his excellency the vice-president to my introductory address, the kind assurances of sympathy and respect the Argentine nation feels towards the United States of America; also of the sincere desire of his excellency that Heaven may guard the friendly relations of the two sister republics for many successive ages.

Furthermore, I see with satisfaction from an official communication of General J. Watson Webb, the United States minister plenipotentiary to Brazil, dated August 26th, 1866, to the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, (a copy of which I beg to enclose, marked A,) that instructions have been issued by the Brazilian government to their representatives in the river Plate, and its vicinity, with. drawing all obstructions to the passing of the Hon. Charles A. Washburn to his post of duty, as minister resident near the government of Paraguay. General Webb, also informed Rear-Admiral S. W. Godon, commanding the United States squadron on the east coast of South America, in an official letter, (a copy of which I beg to enclose, marked B,) that all obstructions on the part of the allied fleet to the repairing of the Hon. Charles A. Washburn to his post of duty had been removed, and Admiral Godon, presuming that the president of the Argentine Republic, had also issued similar orders, has instructed Commander Crosby, of the United States steaner Shamokin to receive the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, whenever requested to do so, on board his vessel, and to convey him to his official residence at Asuncion. A copy of the official communication to that effect I beg to enclose herewith, marked C.

In consideration of this favorable solution of the complications which have existed for the last six months, I cannot doubt that the Argentine government will be disposed to provide the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, United States minister to Paraguay, with a letter of safe conduct, in order that he may be able to leave on the United States steamer Shamokin without further delay—such a letter, at the same time, as will be an assurance that he will not again be interfered with on his way to Asuncion.

I beg leave also to express my confident hope that the Argentine government, imbued as it is with just and generally recognized principles of international law, will help to strengthen still more the ties of amity between the United States of America and the Argentine Republic, by enabling me to forward the satisfactory explanation which I was instructed by my government to ask from the government of the Argentine Republic. At the same time, I consider it my pleasant duty to assure your excellency that the government of the United States, so far as in it lies, will neglect nothing to secure permanently to both countries the mutual advantages of lasting friendship.

I have the honor to be, with distinguished consideration, your obedient servant,