Thomas Biddle to Hamilton Fish, June 30, 1873

No. 355. Mr. Biddle to Mr. Fish.

Sir: Referring to your instruction No. 55, I have the honor to inform you that pursuant thereto I requested an audience with President Gonzalez, through the minister of foreign relations, for the purpose of presenting my letter of recall, and that of this date the same was duly delivered, with a brief address, which was kindly received, as by the accompaniment hereto.

The president showered upon me every manifestation of cordial good will, sending his private carriage to conduct me to and from the ceremony, and at its conclusion he tendered me a public banquet as a mark of his personal regard.

He is an enthusiastic admirer of President Grant, and spoke of him with the blunt frankness of a brave soldier.

I shall leave for the United States by the earliest opportunity, and avail myself of this occasion to express to you, and to all connected with the Department of State, my grateful obligations for the unvarying courtesy and kindness of which I have been the recipient.

I have, &c.,

Memorandum of address of Mr. Biddle to President Gonzalez

Señor President: I have the honor to present a letter addressed to you by the President of the United States upon the occasion of my return to my country.

In taking leave, I desire to express my grateful appreciation of the constant and unvarying kindness and consideration, both in official and personal relations, which I have experienced from you, and it affords me gratification to be the medium of conveying the assurance of the sincere desire of President Grant to strengthen and extend the friendly intercourse now happily subsisting between the two governments, and to secure to the people of both countries a continuance of the benefits resulting from that intercourse.

Praying that peace may long continue to shed its blessings upon Salvador, and that its growing material prosperity may reward your energy and patriotic guidance. I can invoke for this fertile state no greater blessing than that in religion, liberty, peace, happiness, and wealth it may ever merit its Indian appellation, “Cuzcatlan”—the land of plenty.

Reply of the President of the republic to the farewell address of the Minister of the United States

Mr. Minister: Your kind expressions in taking leave to return to your country have created in me feelings of the most grateful satisfaction.

Truly you must be convinced of the esteem and appreciation which the government and the Salvadoreans in general have demonstrated for you.

These sentiments are based upon the propriety with which you have fulfilled your diplomatic duties, and the great personal gifts which adorn you.

My government, enthusiastic on account of the power and progress of the illustrious American people, and interpreting the wishes of Salvador, has ever striven and desires for the future to strengthen the friendly relations and cordial understanding which happily exist with that of the American Union.

With regard to yourself, Mr. Minister, not only have you afforded us the satisfaction to treat officially with a diplomatist of exquisite tact, but also the agreeable pleasure to have in our society a thorough gentleman of so great culture in his private relations.

Therefore I have sorrow at you departure, and lean assure you that both in the government and people of Salvador you will leave many friends who will wish your prosperity.

When returning to your country, I beg that you may be the honorable means of communication to your Government of my sincere and fervent prayers that Providence may ever reward as signally as hitherto the noble aspirations of the American nation.