Jil Colunje to J. P. Pearson, September 6, 1865

Señor Jil Colunje to Mr. Pearson

Sir: On the day before yesterday I, with the other public superior functionaries of the nation and State resident in the city, were prepared to attend the funeral obsequies of Mr. Alex R. McKee, late consul of the United States of America in this place, where his death has been so justly deplored, when I perceived that a party of armed people belonging to the marine of the North American Union had disembarked, together with a band of music, in order to do due honor to the civil and military rank of Mr. McKee, and I was under the painful necessity of declining, and causing the other authorities to decline, attending said obsequies, because permission to disembark said force had not been asked of me, as the first authority of this State.

Certainly, on so solemn an occasion, nothing would have been more natural than to grant said permission, chiefly when we have no band of martial music here at present, or body of troops to contribute in giving due gravity to the ceremony; but it will be allowed that if this occurrence, which in any aspect may be unfavorably qualified under the circumstances— considered as much with reference to the cordial relations existing between the North American Union and the Colombian Union as to your undoubted sufficiency—if this act, I say, should pass unnoticed, my silence might be taken as argument hereafter for neglecting the correct usages of the law of nations. I expect, therefore, that in case it shall be necessary to disembark armed naval forces in future, it will not be done without the consent of the authorities in this place, which represent the sovereignty and independence of the nation.

I am, with due respect, your attentive servant,