José Manuel Balmaceda to Henry Trescot, February 24, 1882
Señor Balmaceda to Mr. Trescot.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note dated the 14th of this month, in which you are pleased to communicate to me that, in compliance with the agreement in the conference as testified by the protocol of the 11th instant, you have addressed a communication to your government; that your excellency is instructed and authorized to answer in its name; that you were desirous to offer its impartial co-operation and its friendly aid in the negotiations of peace with Peru; that it cannot tender its good offices upon the conditions proposed, and that you are instructed to inquire whether the government of Chili will modify them, and in what terms.
In the protocol of February 11th instant, the basis was laid down in accordance to which my government would accept the good offices if, for the purpose of procuring peace on the conditions proposed, they were expontaneously offered to it. That I am now instructed that the Government of the United States does not offer its good offices, which is an answer to my government, to the question that was left pending in said protocol.
And finally I have the honor to say to you, in the name of his excellency the President of the Republic, that we maintain the conditions of peace set forth in the document already cited, because they are demanded by absolute rigorous necessity on account of expenses, and the damages caused by the war, the security of the Republic, and its future stability.
The Government of Chili has ever had confidence in the neutrality and good friendship of the Government of the United States. This friendship and confidence is strengthened without doubt by the declarations contained in the protocol of February 11, and also by those contained in the note which I have the honor to reply to, in which, besides saying that your government will not offer its good offices, you express the desire to tender its impartial co-operation and its friendly aid in the negotiations that may lead the belligerents to the termination of the struggle.
With sentiments of the highest consideration, I have the honor to subscribe myself, your excellency’s obedient servant,