James Madison Papers

To James Madison from Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, 9 March 1814

From Gervasio Antonio de Posadas

Buenos. Ayres March 9th. 1814.

Most Excellent Sir,

The General Constituent Assembly of these Provinces having conferred on me the Supreme Direction of the State,1 I do myself the honour to inform Your Excellency of the same, and to enclose the Public Papers containing the Decree of the Sovereign Body.2 The United Provinces of Rio de la Plata being very desirous to form the closest connexions with the Republic of the United States, it will be a matter of the highest satisfaction to me, if Your Excy., displaying the benevolence of your characteristic generosity, will one day enable me to communicate to the aforesaid Provinces the attainment of their wishes.3 It is very grateful to me to seize this opportunity of offering to Your Excellency the assurances of my consideration esteem and respect.4 God preserve Y. E. many Years!

(Signed) Gervasio Antonio de Posadas

Translation of RC, two copies (DNA: RG 59, NFL, Argentina; and DNA: RG 59, CD, Buenos Aires); RC (DNA: RG 59, NFL, Argentina; in Spanish). Second translation printed in Manning, Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States Concerning the Independence of the Latin-American Nations, 1:334. Minor differences between the translations have not been noted.

1The assembly of 1813 at Buenos Aires replaced the republic’s triumvirate executive with a single directorship and named Posadas to fill the position. He began his duties on 31 Jan. 1814 (Ricardo Levene, A History of Argentina, trans. and ed. William Spence Robertson [Chapel Hill, N.C., 1937], 280, 289).

2Enclosures not found.

3Second translation has “would permit me to communicate to them the wishes of my countrymen.” RC has “me proporciona un dia en que pueda comunicarles el cumplimiento de Sus deseos,” which the first translation renders accurately into English.

4Second translation adds “and most anxious solicitude for a friendly alliance,” for which there is no equivalent in the RC.

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