Letter

Phelps to Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, January 23, 1884

Author

Phelps

Recipient

Frederick T. Frelinghuysen

Date

January 23, 1884

Type

Letter

Language

English

No. 277. Mr. Phelps to Mr. Frelinghuysen.

[Extract.]

Legation of the United States, Lima, Peru, January 23, 1884. (Received February 26.)

No. 55.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a published copy of General Caceres’ letter to General Iglesias, in reply to one of his, a copy of which I sent you, appealing to Caceres to submit to this Government.

* * * * * * *

The country had erected Caceres into a sort of hero, being the only one about whom the nation could throw any of the halo of military glory or of patriotic persistence in the defense of the country. Had he come here at any time in the past few months, he would have been received with a grand ovation. In the absence of the Chilian troops, he could have come triumphant to Lima without firing a shot.

This letter shapes out no line of policy, enters into no details of resources and means of resistance, offers nothing around which the country might rally in the hope of forcing better terms from an unrelenting foe.

I have, &c.,

S. L. PHELPS.

Topics

19th Century Diplomacy Reconstruction

Sources

FRUS u2014 Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P View original source ↗

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P.