Letter from Angel Calderón de la Barca to Daniel Webster, July 27, 1850

    Source citation
    Angel Calderón de la Barca, Letter from Angel Calderón de la Barca to Daniel Webster, July 27, 1850, Diplomatic Correspondence of The United States, Inter-American Affairs, 1830-1860, Volume XI, Washington, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1939, p. 526-527.
    Author (from)
    de la Barca, Angel Calderón
    Recipient (to)
    Webster, Daniel
    Type
    Letter
    Date Certainty
    Exact
    Transcriber
    Michael Blake
    Transcription date
    The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.

    Washington, July 27, 1850.

    In his note of yesterday, the Undersigned informed the Hon. Secretary of State of the probability that Lopez and Gonzales would come to Washington.  

    They have done so - and are now lodged (at least the former) in one of the principle hotels (Willard's) where they boast with impunity of their crime.  These two shameless villains, with other accomplices, recently attacked the city of Cardenas, belonging to a province of Spain, burned the houses, slaughtered several of the inhabitants, and robbed the public treasure.  For these acts of ruffianism, the Undersigned by orders of the Government of H.C. Majesty, and in compliance with existing treaties, has claimed their exemplary and sever punishment, and now renews his claim that they may be considered and treated as pirates, in compliance with the right of Nations and of these existing treaties.

    The Undersigned is informed that these two disturbers of the peace, have come to the very seat of Government, in defiance of the laws and of official declarations of the most solemn nature, in order to concert the means of recruiting with the scattered materials of the last expedition, new forces for a third.  With this object, they are going to set off for New-York and Philadelphia-

    The Undersigned therefore again claims, in obedience to recent orders received from his Government, that this scandal may be put an end to.  Only by the punishment of these criminals and their associates, who in the midst of official peace, are bring about a real war, which is causing heavy expences to Spain, and producing a distrust prejudicial to commerce, - can the hostile intrigues again carry on, be put down.

    Then the mutually advantageous relations now subsisting between the two countries would be renewed as cordially as before and even more so.

    The Undersigned, requesting the Hon. Daniel Webster to give this Note his prompt and serious consideration, profits by the opportunity [etc.].

    How to Cite This Page: "Letter from Angel Calderón de la Barca to Daniel Webster, July 27, 1850," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/index.php/node/2259.