WATSON WEBB, United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Rear-Admiral Charles H. Davis, October 6, 1868

Mr. Webb to Rear-Admiral Davis.

My Dear Sir: I yesterday received from Ms excellency Charles A. Washburn, United States minister resident to Paraguay, a communication, dated Buenos Ayres, September 26, 1868, apprising me of his safe arrival at that city in the Wasp, in which he says: “We have barely escaped alive. You probably little thought, when you were battling with the Brazilians so strongly for a gunboat to come to my relief, that I was at that time in danger of my life.” And he also informs me that Lopez “took away Bliss and Masterman,” his secretary and interpreter, “by force, at the moment of leaving the legation to go on board the steamer.”

I felt, of course, that while we had rescued the minister and his family our work was only half completed, and that the honor of our country had been directly insulted by Lopez thus trampling upon the rights of our legation, and by the gross outrage perpetrated upon two of its members, by their forcible seizure when under the immediate protection of our minister. And consequently I immediately inclosed to you Mr. Washburn’s letter, with a brief note, saying: “I write thus that you may turn this matter over in your mind before I join you;” and I begged you to send a boat for me at 2 p. m. This you did, and I am indebted to you for the prompt and kind manner in which you have always complied with similar requests, as well as for your cordial co-operation at all times in the discharge of my public duties.

I reached the Guerriere at 2½ o’clock p. m. I am sorry to say that for the first time in our official intercourse there appeared to exist a wide difference of opinion upon a question of duty, and especially in regard to the gravity of the existing emergency: I believing that this is precisely one of those cases to meet which our country keeps up, at great expense, a large squadron on this station, the protection of our citizens and the prompt vindication of our national honor; while you, unfortunately, look upon it as an event of no special significance, and which calls for no assumption of any unusual responsibility on your part, because you have no instructions or direct orders in contemplation of such a contingency—a contingency which, of course, could not be foreseen and anticipated.

You inquired what would I have you do; and I answered then, and I answer now, I would have you send up to Asuncion every available vessel of your squadron and demand, the immediate release of Mr. Bliss and Mr. Masterman, two members of the United States legation in Paraguay, forcibly seized by Lopez in violation of their diplomatic rights, and now held in prison by the tyrant, if, as Mr. Washburn suggests, they have not already been put to death. And even if the chances were ninety-nine out of a hundred that they are no longer in existence, such in my judgment is the importance of this action, in view of its influence upon the opinion of the civilized world in regard to the character and the energy of our government, and the efficacy of our navy, that I would have you transfer your flag to one of the smaller vessels of your squadron and go up the Paraguay and make such a demonstration at least as will prove that England is not the only nation that protects the lives and persons of its citizens and the diplomatic rights of its representatives, without stopping to count the cost. True, we are not called upon to raise an army of 10,000 veterans, at a cost of $30,000,000, for a second Abyssinian expedition into the wilds of Paraguay, but we may safely incur the expense of the fuel necessary for what I propose, and this is all it can cost us. Our squadron is here for just such work—to protect the commerce, the lives, and the persons of our people; and you have already informed me that the entire squadron will sail for the river Plata during the present or early next week, with the exception of the Shamokin, which is to go home, probably to be broken up. But why send her home, if an emergency is presented in which she can render as good service as any other vessel of the squadron?

Be assured, my dear admiral, that this is no ordinary ocurrence. The eyes of the civilized world are upon us, and precisely as you may act in this emergency will our country come out of the affair with credit and honor or lose prestige as a nation. You and I have done our duty in sending up the Wasp, but we have not yet discharged our whole duty; and, in my opinion, to complete our work, we must make such a demonstration as I am urging upon you. We are both servants of one government, and each independent of the other, to be controlled only by our common superior, the President of the United States, speaking through his Secretaries of State and of the Navy. I do not claim the remotest right to control your action, and feel the full responsibility of attempting to influence it. But it is my imperative duty to call upon you officially to act energetically in this emergency, stating, at the time, my reasons for making such call, and assuming all the responsibility of so doing. That duty I have attempted, hastily, to discharge, and now your responsibility begins. That you will meet that responsibility fearlessly and do what you think is right, I know.

You remarked to me yesterday that you had no facts to warrant the action I recommend and solicit; and that although you had received Commander Kirkland’s report of his visit to Asuncion and return to Montevideo, it contained nothing which demanded the proceeding I desire.

One word in regard to Commander Kirkland, and the manner in which he has discharged the delicate duty upon which he was detached, in both of his visits up the Paraguay. No officer of any rank in the navy could have done better; and his reply to the Marquis de Caxias, when that personage proposed to send a Brazilian iron-clad up the Paraguay for Mr. Washburn, was so apposite and so appropriate to the occasion, that I quoted the most of it to the Brazilian minister of foreign affairs when reiterating my demand that the Wasp should not be obstructed in her passage of the allied lines on her “errand of mercy.” And Mr. Washburn, in his letter to me, attributes his escape with life to Commander Kirkland’s manly defiance of Lopez, and his indignant threat of consequences if he dared to carry out his avowed intention of detaining a United States minister in Paraguay.

What Mr. Kirkland could or should have reported in regard to Lopez’s conduct towards our legation in Paraguay is not for me to determine; but Mr. Washburn, the duly accredited minister of the United States to the government of Paraguay, has made his report, which I have placed in your possession, and every word of which I indorse. And in addition I send herewith a supplement to the Buenos Ayrean Standard, of the 26th of September, in which you will find a letter from Mr. Washburn to the British minister accredited to the Argentine government, giving a full history of events in Paraguay for the past six months. That document was sent to me by Mr. Washburn, and I desire to have it received as a part of this official communication.

You do not know Mr. Washburn, but I do; and I know, too, that both at Buenos Ayres and here in Rio de Janeiro the public press, in the interest of Brazil and the allies, is doing all in its power to blacken his character. On the other hand, the Standard, representing the feelings and opinions of the foreign diplomatic corps, and of the British minister and British residents in Buenos Ayres, does Mr. Washburn full justice and commends his conduct throughout. I know him to be a man of honor and truth; but even if he were personally unknown to me as he is to you, both you and I know him to be the duly accredited minister of the United States, and his testimony, which we have, it is our bounden duty to respect. He tells us that two members of his legation were forcibly detained as prisoners by Lopez, and that their lives are in danger if, as is quite probable, they have not already been murdered, and we have nothing to do with what others may say or do in regard to the affair. Our government is far distant; appeal to it is impossible; and therefore it becomes my duty officially to make a requisition upon you to interpose for the vindication of our national honor and the protection of our citizens. I am responsible to our government for the grounds upon which that requisition is based, and it is your right to respond to or reject my application, and for so doing you and you only are responsible.

In conclusion, permit me to add that, in my judgment, an emergency of such rare occurrence, and so certain to redound to the honor of our country and the credit of all concerned, if judiciously managed, should be deemed a great boon. For weeks past the press in this region has teemed with rumors of insult to the United States legation in Paraguay, and a violation of its sanctity; and, beyond all peradventure, the rumor is ere this widely circulated through Europe, and statesmen and diplomatists, our enemies and our friends, while uniting in lauding England for her recent exploits in Abyssinia, and her noble sacrifices in giving protection to her official agents and humble citizens, in a far off and barbarous land, are anxiously watching to learn what will be the conduct of the great American nation under almost identical circumstances. I pray that the response may be the immediate departure of every vessel of our squadron, of light draught of water, to the capital of Paraguay.

Such demonstration, made without one day’s unneccessary delay, whether successful or not, would, in my judgment, be invaluable to our country and to its navy. And if this be not precisely such a duty as our squadron is kept on this station to discharge when the emergency occurs, then, most assuredly, I am ignorant of any necessity for United States squadrons in every quarter of the world in time of peace.

Pardon me for having written so much. I could not write less. And, whatever may be your decision in the premises, I do not entertain a doubt but it will be based upon patriotism, as it will unquestionably be the result of wisdom and a conscientious discharge of duty.

Believe me, my dear admiral, most devotedly your friend and obedient servant,