John A. Logan to the protesting merchants of Lima, June 23, 1883

Mr. Logan to the protesting merchants of Lima.

Gentlemen: Your additional communication of the 2d instant in relation to decree No. 2914, of General Lynch, prescribing the payment of a commercial patente for the present year, has been received.

In reply I have to inform you that I waited upon the minister of foreign relations, and laid the whole case before him. He expressed great surprise at the statements of your communications and was very confident of there being some mistake as to the facts. He said; that General Lynch was not only a pre-eminently just man, but that he was also an exceedingly cautious official, and though the Government here had no knowledge of the decree, yet he could not for a moment believe that General Lynch had done anything not justified in the fullest manner by the rights of the occupying power.

I then pressed the minister strongly to make an examination of the circumstances of the case, in order that error might be righted, if any had been committed, by the local authorities in Lima; but the minister said, that while he was disposed to extend every courtesy to me and the country I represented that might he within his power, yet that as the complainants resided in Peru, he did not understand that my Government had given me any power to represent them, and that, as it would he establishing a precedent for the representatives of other powers to take advantage of, he would be compelled to decline my request.

Thus the matter stands at present; but I do not propose letting it rest upon that sort of basis. I shall, therefore, lay the whole case before the Department at Washington by the next mail, and ask for an instruction to press the Government to a decision. An express authorization of this kind, to speak for our countrymen in Peru, cannot be disregarded. Though a longer time will be involved in the solution of the case by this forced mode of procedure, yet I am confident we shall get justice at the end.

I am, &c.,