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. J. H. MANDEVILLE. _To his Excellency Don Jose Antonino Vidal._ APPENDIX. CORRESPONDENCE OF H. J. MANDEVILLE, ESQ., _British Minister to the Argentine Confederation_, WITH SENHOR VIDAL, _Secretary of State of the Republic of Uruguay_. _Buenos Ayres, May 26th, 1842._ MY DEAR M. DE VIDAL,--I have received your official letter of the 20th May, with the enclosure which you have had the goodness and frankness to communicate to me,--and also the two private letters of the same date, which you have done me the honour to write to me.