and there is not a single one who may not have Chilian children. I do not purpose to cite special cases. Inform yourself of any honest Spaniard whatever who may have visited our shores, and if that man does not wilfully distort the truth, I am not afraid for a single moment of being falsified. On the contrary, Chili, on account of her mild climate, her productions similar to those of the Peninsula, the serious character of her people, her traditions of order and respect for the laws, had become the favorite resort of those who came from Spain to these regions in search of a home and a new country.

"How is it, then, that all this has disappeared in an instant, and, according to the latest dates (Oct. 17), Admiral Pareja should be in Valparaiso, threatening that rich and splendid city, and that there should be collected in Santiago, under the vigilance of the police, all the Spaniards, to serve as hostages for the consequences of an attack, otherwise unpunished, against her defenceless people.

"It is that which the Lima periodical I have the honor to enclose will explain to you, in the article entitled "Fortnightly Review," and which I will try to make clearer in a few words.

"Since the announcement of the coming of Admiral Pinzon, there has been in Chili and in Perú a vague rumor of alarm. The aggressive tendencies of Marshal O'Donnell were well known, and the annexation of Santo Domingo -the first threat against American nationalities-was recent. The personal conduct of the Admiral, and the arrival of Commissary Mazarredo converted that rumor into a suspicion. The military occupation of the Chinchas, and the famous declaration of recovery, unfortunately gave cause for those doubts and fears, and converted them into an international scandal.

"The aggression of Admiral Pinzon was against Perú, but Chili could not be indifferent. Her geographical and commercial position, her history, her security, were all involved in that question. Picture to yourself Portugal invaded by France, declaring the right of conquest, or any other offense aginast her nationality. Could the Government of Spain, without being guilty of treason and mibecility, remain indifferent, simply because the attack was not directed against her own territory?

"A better comparison can not be made, for it was exactly what took place. You know that, in 1820, San Martin had come from Chili to liberate Perú, because the independence of that country was the complement of ours. You also know that, in 1830, another Chilian army defeated General Santa Cruz, President of Bolivia, who annexed Perú to that country, and that, also, because the safety of Perú was our own safety.

"But how did Chili manifest her adhesion to the cause of Perú ? That is the only question to be solved, because in it are found all the claims which have given rise to the war. The people, by acts purely evidences of sympathy and enthusiasm; the Government, by no act which was not in entire conformity with the law of nations. I know how much has been falsely attributed to the country and to the Government in this matter, but the notes of our Chancery and the Tavira-Covarrubias settlement, are ample proofs of what I assert. I will make yet another observation. When the war in Mexico commenced against the Emperor of the French, collections of money were made throughout the country, and large sums were sent to President Juarez, to enable him to maintain the independence of the country against the French invaders. Could a case be shown of more evident hostility against France ? What was the satisfaction demanded by the powerful and susceptible Government of Napoleon III.? None whatever. And that because the governments of Europe, in spite of the dense cloud of error and calumny which darkens our republics in their eyes, understand that we are subject to the same impressions, the same alarms, the same sympathies which are felt by the people whom they govern, and consequently subject to the same duties and the same obligations. And in this light permit me to ask you, would Russia have declared war or demanded satisfaction for the public manifestations, the contributions of money, the popular processions, the simultaneous and persistent attacks of the Press in France and Spain in favor of unfortunate Poland? Why, then, should the popular sympathy of Chili for a brother and neighboring country, violently assaulted and offended in her honor and the principle of independence which was common to us, be looked upon in any other light? You should judge the affairs of America as the affairs of all civilized countries ought to be judged;

then, and only then, will you enter the regions of reason, of mutual advantages, of civilization itself.

"But it has been said that there was a real insult to the Spanish flag, and that the name of Isabel II. was dragged through the mire of defamation; and these two imputations have been made a question of honor—an immediate and sufficient cause of war. It may be just for me to assure you, on the faith of a man of honor and truth, that the first assertion is entirely false. I was a present witness of the event of the 1st of May, 1864, and there was not even the slightest affront to a flag then still friendly, and which was placed, as usual, on a staff so elevated, that no one could have touched it, though desirous of doing so.

"With regard to the second charge, I must acknowledge that there were mean and cowardly acts on the part of an obscure paper, gotten up for speculation upon the scanda! of an exceptional situation. But did not the Government. protest against this journal, offering to try it according to the laws? Did not society protest and condemn it to scorn? What more could one wish that it should have done? And in Spain itself have not journals of high grade been published, offensive to the throne-as the El Guirrigai y El Tio Camorra, among others? What wonder, then, that the San Martin should come to light in an aggrieved and justly-distrustful country? And the Punch of London, and the Charivari of Paris, do they not publish pictures and articles highly offensive to the dignity of the Spanish monarchs? And will Spain, because of that, demand satisfaction with the mouth of the cannon, and declare war against those countries?

"In reality, there has been no offense against Spanish honor which should give occasion for war, still less justify it. If the Spaniards have always been treated with cordiality and kindness; if they have all found fortunes, family, and social considerations like the native sons of the country, and with even a preference over strangers of other nationalities; if in forty years of peace, there has never been a single mutual quarrel between the two countriesno shadow-not a single diplomatic rupture whatever; if the treaty of peace in force for more than twenty years has never been violated; if many of the highest employees of the Government, in the Republic, and even in her Con

sular Corps, are Spaniards, how, then, can the object of the war be the obtaining of satisfaction from Chili, so generous and hospitable, or reparation for offences which have never been committed ? How can they make a pretence of vindicating Castilian honor which has never been offended, and which, on the contrary, has been respected in all that really demands respect? Truly, either the Spanish Government is wilfully blind, or her agents have put a traitorous bandage over their eyes; because, by the war which she has undertaken, she will reap only calamity and disaster, instead of the benefits which a long and honorable peace have furnished.

"I ask again, how is it that this war exists, and threatens the two countries who are engaged in it with injuries without end?

"I do not wish in this place to discuss the events with which the Press in Spain and America has already occupied itself, and which have brought things to that deplorable state in which they are to be found, and which have been judged according to their real value, which amounts to nothing after discarding Pinzon's boasts and Mazarreuo's fears.

"I will only permit myself to show you how, in relation to Chili, there has risen from such slight causes, so insignificant, so accidental some of them, so entirely free of bad intentions, and so unworthy, all of them, of occupying for more than an hour the attention of two civilized countries—a tumult of recriminations which have dragged us into a war lamentable for both.

"I am going to place before you, with the sincerity of a righteous mind, the truth-the sad, but stern truth-of all that has happened, I fulfill thus the principal object of this letter, and conform with the promise which I made at the commencement, to explain the almost fabulous events which are unfolding themselves in the Pacific.

"Unfortunately for Spain and Chili, there existed in the latter country a diplomatic agent of the former, whose character-generous, but without energy or judgment— was found subject to the influence of any one, and easily prevailed upon to take any particular course. Señor Tavira, with whose personal friendship I have been honored, had these defects among his numerous good qualities, and consequently he was involved in disgrace.

"In the first days of the Chincha troubles, there arose, as was natural, a violent party among the Spaniards resident in Santiago. This was principally composed of three doctors-two of some merit, and a homœopathist who, we know not why, has had bestowed upon him the Cross of Charles III, which to-day he would have deserved to lose, on account of his contemptible adulation to the Chilians since war was declared. These men made themselves the head of a party, and united night after night in gatherings, at the house of a bookseller, also a Catalan, who should have had nought but feelings of gratitude and respect towards a country in which he counted many friends, and in which he had made his fortune.

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By that circle, and through the means of accomplices, Señor Tavira was urged to get up claims, to raise charges, to invent accusations to blow the flame between the two countries, these leaders forming a party, by means of letters written to Spain, combinations with the Spanish squadron then lying off the Chinchas, and an active propagation among the Spaniards of all classes, not only in Chili, but in all the republics of the Pacific, and even those of the Plata. This was the more incomprehensible in the leaders of this agitation in Chili, inasmuch as all of them were married to Chilians, and had children in the country. Now they wander scattered, and anathematized as ingrates, to a country to which they have done innumerable wrongs, in return for its having given them wives, homes, and respect.

"Moved by these strong but unworthy influences, Mr. Tavira qualified the position which Chili took in the Peruvian-Spanish question in a way completely false, exaggerated, and odious. And permit me to make known here, that if the Spanish Government had not possessed aught but the notes of ner Minister, and the perfidious private communications which had been written to Madrid from the Pacific, in demand of crosses or lucre, by which to judge of what had passed, she would not have formed an opinion different from that which she has manifested, nor have followed a line of conduct different from that which she has followed. But since, joined to these accusations and claims-sometimes puerile, sometimes senseless, and always unfounded-there have gone to Spain the replies of our Chancellor, it was necessary to be wilfully blind in