_To his Excellency M. de Vidal, &c. &c. &c._
_Buenos Ayres, January 12th, 1843._
MY DEAR M. DE VIDAL,--When I received M. Gelly's official
letter upon the entry of Oribe's troops into the Banda
Oriental, I was myself too unwell to thank you for your letter
of the 28th ult. on the subject of your resignation, and too
sad and discouraged by it at the idea of your retirement from
office at the present moment. But now when I see, by the
_Nacional_ of the 3d, that you have nobly decided upon still
retaining the foreign and home departments, I am as anxious to
congratulate you and your country upon this resolution, as I
was averse, on the day I wrote to M. Gelly, to take up my pen
for any body or any thing, but for this letter of yours above
mentioned. The two official communications, which I send you
with this opportunity, would have gone with my letter to M.
Gelly, luckily, it's of little consequence whether you receive
them now or this day month. What has prevented the British and
French naval forces from coming long before this to the River
Plate, I can have no conception. The interview between the
British Ambassador and Guizot took place on the 9th September,
when he agreed to all that Lord Cowley proposed, of uniting
their forces to put an end to the war. Before the end of
December I would have sworn that they would have been here. I
cannot conclude my letter without expressing to you my truest
thanks for the expression of your friendship towards me, and
my confidence that, happen what may, you will always duly
appreciate my public and private conduct to you. Believe me,
my dear M. de Vidal, that my sentiments and my utmost efforts
will always be in unison to draw closer the ties of
friendship, which have been so happily established, through
you in great part, between the two countries where we first
drew our breath, and my labour will be unceasing to preserve
them unchanged.