Vaega Fontecilla to The Envoy Extraordinary and, March 24, 1868

Señor Fontecilla to Mr. Kilpatrick.

Sir: I have had the honor to receive the note of the 18th instant which your excellency has been pleased to address me, informing me of the answer given to the government of the United States by that of Spain, in relation to the modifications proposed by the allied republics to the bases of the arrangement presented by the government of your excellency.

In this connection your excellency inquires if my government desires to communicate anything more to that of the United States upon the subject, to the end of promoting a concurrence of views, and announce that in case of a negative the government of your excellency will consider as terminated the good offices which it has been employing to attain peace by way of mediation.

In acknowledging the receipt of the note referred to, I should advise you that Chili, being bound to the other republics by means of a compact of alliance, it would be impossible for my government to deliberate by itself alone upon a matter of so much gravity, and to give to your excellency a definite answer.

For the present, it will doubtless comply with the duty incumbent upon it, to transmit, as in brief it proceeds to do, your excellency’s note to the consideration of the allies, and to promote among all the confederated republics a concurrence upon the point which your excellency submits to its consideration; and as soon as the common views of all of them, may be known, I shall make it my duty to satisfy the inquiry which your excellency addresses to me.

In the meantime it gratifies me to manifest to your excellency the gratitude of my government for the constant efforts of the United States to attain by means of its friendly offices the re-establishment of peace.

I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate to your excellency the assurances of the distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your excellency’s attentive and faithful servant,