Alvaro Covarrubias to Their Excellencies the Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Residing in Santiago, October 18, 1865

Mr. Covarrubias to the diplomatic corps.

The undersigned, minister of foreign relations of Chili, has had the honor to receive the note, which the honorable members of the diplomatic corps, resident in Santiago, has been pleased to address him under date of yesterday, through the medium of their worthy dean, the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of North America, with the object of proposing to the government of the republic to submit the decision of its differences with Spain to arbitration, and that if. it should accept this pacific measure, and the chief of the Spanish squadron, to whom a like proposition had been addressed, should also accept the same, both parties should proceed to adjust an armistice, while a convention should be held for the purpose of naming the arbiter.

Complying with the instructions of his excellency the President of the republic, the undersigned hastens to reply to the said communication, beginning by assuring the honorable members of the diplomatic corps that the government of Chili does full justice to their loyal and repeated efforts in favor of peace, and sincerely coincides with them. The present reply will be the best evidence of such sentiments. But before proceeding to give it, the undersigned will permit himself to rectify an opinion emitted in the note before him, in which it is said that the two nations (Chili and Spain) “are waging war against one another, not to secure material advantages, but to resolve a question of honor.” In thus believing, the diplomatic representatives resident in Santiago have only interpreted the motives of the Spanish policy according to their own sentiments of loyalty, justice and prudence, and those of their enlightened governments. That of the republic likewise, taking its own intentions as a standard, gave faith during a long period to the promises of the cabinet of Madrid, and judged it to be impelled solely by considerations of honor and dignity.

Unfortunately a series of events finding their origin in the occupation of the Chinchas, the antecedents of that occupation and many other circumstances well known to the diplomatic ministers resident in Santiago, together with the unlooked-for aggression of which Chili has just been the object, have formed in the mind of the government of the undersigned a sad conviction. The course of dissimulation, contradiction and aggression of the cabinet of Madrid, in the Pacific, involves designs as illicit, as disastrons to the stability and repose of the American republics. And in this sense the Spanish policy is not less prejudicial to American interests than to those of the nations to whose representatives he has the honor to address himself at this moment—nations which maintain with these countries industrial and commercial relations of the most unquestionable importance.

Therefore, if in the present war the question of honor is the first, it is not the only one that has weight in the opinion of the government of Chili; and it is far from being that which has dragged the cabinet of Madrid to its rude and unjustifiable rupture with the republic. The safety of this country, as well as that of all the Pacific States, is seriously threatened by the present hostilities of Spain, and would be illy provided for if, in removing the danger of today, were not forever banished the unjust aggressions of that power, or if an open field were left for them in the future.

The government of the undersigned would deem itself most happy were its convictions in this respect erroneous; but even were it so there would always be, in its opinion, in the present struggle not only of honor, but also of very great material damages. The republic being surprised by an unjust aggression, in the midst of a long and flourishing peace, was found almost unarmed, and without resources for a maritime war. In order to provide for her defence, she has had to improvise armies—converting her peaceful and industrious citizens into soldiers—divert the heavy capital, formerly destined to the fruitful works of manufacture, and contract, within and without the country, obligations which weigh heavily upon her credit. Add to this the confusion introduced into her financial affairs, by a war which has dried up the principal fountain of her income—the customs—nor let the desolating influence of the same event upon the commerce, navigation, manufactures, and agriculture of Chili, be forgotten.

Although none of the foregoing can influence the government of Chili to depart from the course indicated by the dignity of the republic, nevertheless, it is thereby made evident that the latter has before it something more than a question of honor, although this might be the only one sought by Spain.

The true signification of the present contest being thus rectified, the undersigned will proceed to occupy a moment longer the kind and enlightened attention of the diplomatic corps resident in Santiago, in order to examine the proposed measure of pacific solution.

Arbitration usually takes place before hostilities are declared between the parties to a misunderstanding, and when they are yet upon equal terms. That this equality has disappeared between Chili and Spain is sufficiently demonstrated by what the undersigned has just stated, were it not a fact too evident to escape the penetration of the honorable members of the diplomatic corps. Nevertheless, such inequality might be repaired if matters were placed in the state they occupied prior to the 16th of September, ultimo, on which day the squadron of Admiral Pareja arrived at Valparaiso. The mode of arriving at this result is most obvious, since it would be merely the departure of the Spanish fleet from the ports of Chili until the republic shall possess naval forces which may resist it without disadvantage, and the return of the vessels and cargoes captured.

Affairs being by this means re-established upon the footing they occupied prior to the aggression, the inopportuneness which embarrasses the employment of arbitration in the present question would be to a certain extent remedied.

The government of the undersigned, consistent in its humane and moderate policy, and filled with a sincere solicitude for the interests of friendly nations compromised in the struggle, does not hesitate in acceding to the proposition which the respected diplomatic corps resident in Santiago has been pleased to address it, so soon as the condition precedent of the re-establishment of the question in statu quo ante bellum shall be accepted.

The belligerent parties having once agreed upon this preliminary step, the agreement to an armistice may follow, to be succeeded by a convention of arbitration in which the question may be presented to the arbiter under the different aspects which it wears, and which the undersigned has indicated in the course of the present communication.

The undersigned flatters himself with the hope that the honorable members of the diplomatic corps will recognize in this resolution of the government of Chili a new proof of the sentiments of peace and conciliation which animate it, and to which it has been willing to sacrifice considerations of much moment, alluded to in this note.

The undersigned, with this motive, offers to the diplomatic ministers resident in Santiago the assurances of his perfect esteem and consideration.