Alexander S. Asboth to Señor Dr. Don Rufino de Elizalde, October 24, 1866
Mr. Asboth to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in connection with my report dated Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 6, 1866, that having been formally received, on the 20th instant, by the vice-president of the Argentine Republic, Dr. Don Marcos Paz, as minister resident of the United States of America, and having been next day, by a decree in the government organ, the “Nacion Argentina,” officially announced as such near the Argentine government, as fully reported in my despatch No. 8, dated October 21, I hastened to address, on the next day, the 22d, a note to Señor Dr. Don Rufino de Elizalde, Argentine minister for foreign affairs, in relation to the obstructions to the passing of our minister resident, the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, to his post of duty near the government of Paraguay. The full contents of this my note to Señor Elizalde I beg to give here, as follows :
[Received October 22, 1866.—Translation.]
The minister for foreign affairs has the honor to invite General Alexander Asboth, minister resident of the United States of America, to a conference at his office to-morrow, the 23d instant, at 1 o’clock p. m.
Departure of the Hon. Mr. Washburn–Great ovation.
Yesterday at about quarter to 10 o’clock a. m. the saloons of the Hotel Provence were thrown open to receive the friends of the Hon. Mr. Washburn and lady, who, according to arrangement, were to. leave at 10 o’clock sharp for Paraguay. The rooms were crowded with some of the leading men of Buenos Ayres. We noticed present Major General Asboth, United States resident minister; H. R. Helper, esq., United States consul; Viscount Beaumont, French legation; Messrs. Thomas Armstrong, Samuel B. Hale, H. J. Ropes, F. Elortondo, V. Sagastume, J. F. Gowland, T. B. Coffin, B. Coffin, John Naulty, William Livingstone, William Thompson, Steward, Tay, Gilbert, Upton, E. H. Folmar, Thomas Livingston, secretary of legation, and several others whose names we did not know. After about half an hour’s conversation the whole party formed in procession, Major General Asboth, with Mrs. Washburn on his arm, taking the lead. The people of Calle Cangallo and Paseo Julio were of course astonished to see at so early an hour such a highly influential procession, and when we arrived at the stairs at the mole-head there was an immense throng awaiting us.
The boats of the Shomokin were in waiting to convey the party on board, but it being a business day, only some few of the immediate friends of the minister pushed off to the Shamokin. It is a remarkable fact, that when Mr. Washburn left some seven or eight months ago, precisely on the same mission, only one or two friends accompanied, but yesterday his departure was little short of an ovation.
We are happy to say, we learn on good authority that on Tuesday night the Argentine government, possibly influenced by the example of the Rio cabinet, passed a note to the American resident minister, which, although we have not seen, removes any impression which may have been entertained as to the free passage of Mr. Washburn to Paraguay; indeed, we believe that much too great importance has been attached to the matter, and we congratulate the Argentine government on the good sense it has displayed in waiving points and thus arranging the question.