WASHINGTON, _May 9, 1866_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:
I transmit to Congress a copy of a correspondence between the Secretary
of State and the acting chargé d'affaires of the United States at
Guayaquil, in the Republic of Ecuador, from which it appears that the
Government of that Republic has failed to pay the first installment of
the award of the commissioners under the convention between the United
States and Ecuador of the 25th November, 1862, which installment was due
on the 17th of February last.
As debts of this character from one government to another are justly
regarded as of a peculiarly sacred character, and as further diplomatic
measures are not in this instance likely to be successful, the
expediency of authorizing other proceedings in case they should
ultimately prove to be indispensable is submitted to your consideration.