Note A — THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.

Senor. Los infrascriptos Ciudadanos naturales de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay sienten la necesidad de manifestar a V. E. el altisimo aprecio en que tienen la lealtad de su caracter, y los muchos y relevantes servicios que V. E. en el desempeno de las funciones que le habia confiado el Gobierno de S. M. su Augusta Soberana, ha prestado a la causa de la Independencia de nuestra Patria. La guerra que devasta el suelo en que hemos nacido es, en todo rigor, de parte de los Orientales, una lucha de defensa legitima y de Independencia—lucha que no hemos provocado, y en cuyo termino no buscamos ni apetecemos mas que la conservacion de la situacion en que nos coloco el pacto celebrado en 1828 entre el Imperio del Brazil y la Republica Argentina—que nos esta reconocida por todas las Naciones, y virtual, pero solemnemente garantida por la Inglaterra y la Francia. Ciertos de la eficacia de esta garantia y del interes politico y comercial que tienen esas dos grandes potencias en el mantenimiento de la Nacionalidad Oriental,—con todas sus consecuencias, y en que no que—de absorvida por un Poder anti-social y repulsivo de toda idea civilizadora, los Orientales procuraron su apoyo y una alianza justa y decorosa. El principio en que esta alianza se basaba era honroso, y los fines, a mas de honrosos civilizadores y fecundos en resultados beneficos, para la paz externa de estas regiones, y para la paz interior de nuestro pais que deseamos, con toda la fuerza de que somos capaces, teniendo por mira unica, que reconciliada la familia Oriental a que pertenecemos, fuera de toda coaccion e influencia estrana, pueda elegir en libertad, y en la forma consagrada en sus leyes, un Gobierno suyo, que la rija con suecion a la Constitucion y a los intereses Orientales. Los dos Agentes encargados en 1845 por la Inglaterra y la Francia de dar apoyo a la nacionalidad Oriental volviendo la paz a nuestros hogares, y los Senores Almirantes Inglefield y Lainé, que han tenido el mando de las fuerzas interventoras, han desempenado mision tan noble del modo mas cordial, mas conforme al pensamiento esplicitamente declarado por sus Gobiernos al pensamiento y al deseo del nuestro, y de todos los buenos Orientales; por lo que reconocemos deberles sincera y profunda gratitud. Permitanos V.E. consagrar en esta carta, respecto de su persona, la espresion de ese sentimiento; que agreguemos a ella la de los votos que hacemos por sus prosperidades—y le pidamos conserve siempre la memoria de nuestra Patria y la de los Ciudadanos que interpretes, sin dudaen, este acto, de la sociedad en que viven—tenemos el honor de ofrecer a V.E. el homenage del respeto, de la adhesion y de la amistad que le profesamos y con que somos. De V.E. affmos Servidores.

[TRANSLATION]

Sir,—The undersigned native citizens of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay feel the necessity of manifesting to your Excellency the very great esteem in which they hold the loyalty of your character, and the many high services that your Excellency, in the discharge of the functions confided to you by the Government of Her Majesty, your august Sovereign, has lent to the cause of the independence of our country. The war which desolates our native soil is strictly, on the part of the Orientals, a struggle of legitimate defence and of independence—a struggle which we have not provoked, and in the result of which we neither seek nor desire more than the preservation of the position in which we were placed by the compact celebrated in 1828, between the Empire of Brazil and the Argentine Republic—a position recognized by all nations, and virtually, but solemnly, guaranteed by England and France. Certain of the efficacy of this guarantee, and of the political and commercial interest of these two great Powers in the maintenance of the Oriented Nationality, with all its consequences, and in its not being crushed by an anti-social power, repelling every idea of civilization, the Orientals sought their aid, and a just and proper alliance. The principle on which this alliance was based was honourable, and its objects, besides being honourable, were civilizing and fertile in beneficial results for the external peace of these regions, and for the internal peace of our country, which we desire with all the strength we possess, having for sole object, that the Oriental family to which we belong being reconciled, it may, without foreign coercion or influence, elect, freely, and in the mode consecrated by its laws, its own government, which shall rule it in conformity with the constitution and the Oriental interests. The two agents charged in 1845, by England and France, to give aid to the Oriental nationality and restore peace to our hearths, and the Admirals Englefield and Lainé, who had command of the intervening forces, have discharged so noble a mission in the manner most cordial, most in conformity with the intentions explicitly declared by their governments, and with the thoughts and desire of ours, and of all good Orientals; for which we acknowledge that we owe them sincere and profound gratitude. We beg your Excellency will permit us to record in this letter, as regards yourself personally, the expression of this sentiment; let us add that of the wishes we entertain for your prosperity, and we beg you always to preserve a recollection of our country and that of those citizens, who, faithful interpreters of the feelings of the country in which they live, have the honour of offering to your Excellency the homage of the respect, adhesion and friendship which we possess, and with which we are,—your Excellency’s most faithful servants, &c., &c.