Ernest Dichman to By the President: Wm. M. Evarts, August 16, 1880
No. 209. Mr. Dichman to Mr. Evarts.
No. 198.]
Sir: Immediately upon the receipt of your No. 115, of the 7th of June last, relating to the unfriendly action of the president of the State of Panama towards the United States vessels Adams and Kearsarge, I brought the contents thereof informally to the notice of President Nunez, with whom I had an extended conference in relation to the matter, in the course of which I endeavored to impress him fully with the gravity of the occurrence, and also intimated to him, politely, but firmly, that, in addition to whatever explanations his government might be able to offer, the readiest manner in which your just complaints could be satisfied would be by a frank disavowal of the act of the Panama executive.
As soon after this conference as the same could be prepared, I addressed an official note to the secretary of foreign relations, a copy of which I beg to inclose, and in both the language and substance of which I trust you will find a correct interpretation of and a strict compliance with your instructions upon this subject.
You will also please find inclosed a copy and translation of the answer of the secretary of foreign relations, in which, after some introductory remarks, being a recital of the substance of my note just mentioned, he enters upon a lengthy explanation of the unfriendly act in question by attributing the chief blame for the same to the imperfect transmission by the telegraph of the orders from the government at Bogotá to the president of Panama. He also states that the orders in question were discretionary; and as the Panama executive saw fit to act without exercising any discretion, his action is distinctly disapproved. After communicating the steps taken by his government to prevent a recurrence of any similar action, or any other cause of complaint in the State of Panama, the note of the secretary of foreign relations concludes with expressions of friendly considerations for the United States.
I am, &c.,