Jil Colunjé to Scruggs, December 16, 1873

Señor Colunjé to Mr. Scruggs.

The undersigned, secretary of the interior and of foreign relations of the United States of Colombia, feels himself constrained to address the honorable William L-Scruggs, minister resident of the United States of America, for the purpose of expressing to him the profound pain that the government has experienced at what happened, as they are informed, in the disagreeable incidents of the evening of yesterday, regarding a religious procession that was being celebrated at the time his excellency was proceeding toward his new house of habitation.

The executive administration quite as much lament as they are surprised at the occurrence, where the practice among our people permits perfect religious liberty, guaranteed by the national constitution; and they are utterly at a loss to account for the object of the attack made upon the dwelling of the representative of a nation for which the people of Colombia have so much respect and friendship, and when the person of that representative is so highly respected here for the high qualities which distinguish him.

The government of the undersigned feels perfectly satisfied, from the information in their possession, that the rabble who executed the outrage did not know against whom they directed it; a circumstance that can be very well explained by the confusion which is wont to be produced by processions and acts such as referred to.

The undersigned hastens to assure your excellency that he has taken means which will promptly punish the authors of the act—an act which would have no explanation of its origin but for the ignorance and fanaticism arising from a former régimé and state of society which should be responsible therefor.

The government of the undersigned flatters itself with the belief that the honorable Mr. Scruggs will not judge of the country in general by the incident which is the motive of this note, and doubts not that he will duly esteem the spontaneity of the sentiments that are expressed herein. The undersigned indulges the hope that your excellency will accept the expression of great personal respect and consideration with which he has the honor to be

Your very attentive, &c.,