Copy of the speech of Mr. Schurz. MADAM: In appearing before your Majesty as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, I regard it as my most agreeable duty to communicate to your Majesty the friendly feelings which the President of the United States and the American nation entertain towards your Majesty and the people of Spain. I beg leave to assure your Majesty that, for the purpose of maintaining amicable relations with the government of your Majesty, as far as may be consistent with the dignity and legitimate interests of the United States, the President could not have selected a more willing instrument than myself. I have now the honor to place into your Majesty's hands the letter of credence confided to me by the President, and of presenting my best wishes for the health of your Majesty and the royal family, and for the prosperity of the Spanish nation. Reply of the Queen to Mr. Schurz. MR. MINISTER: With true satisfaction I receive the letter which accredits you as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America in my court, and appreciate most highly the assurances which you give me of the sentiments of friendship which animate the President and those States towards my person and the Spanish people. I take a lively interest in the prosperity of the nation which you come to represent, and cherish the hope that its relations with Spain will always be maintained in such a way as to satisfy the dignity and interests of both peoples. I do not doubt that you will contribute with your enlightenment to this object, and that your comportment will make you worthy of the estimation of my government. I am much gratified, Mr. Minister, with the wishes you express for my felicity, for that of my family, and for the prosperity of the Spanish nation. Mr. Seward to Mr. Tassara. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 15, 1861. The undersigned, Secretary of State, has the honor of addressing Mr. Tassara on the subject of certain vessels belonging to citizens of the United States now, or lately, detained at the port of Cienfuegos, in the Island of Cuba. Information has been received at this department that a piratical armed steamer called Sumter, on the 6th July instant, entered that port with seven vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, which she had captured, with their officers, and also the officers and seamen of another such vessel which she had captured and burned on the high seas. The department is further informed that the Sumter was, on that occasion, manned by a full complement of seamen, marines, officers, and firemen; that she carried an armament of five or eight heavy guns, and that thus manned and armed the vessel was supplied with coal and water at Cienfuegos, and was allowed to depart on the same day to a destination unknown. The undersigned is further informed that the captured vessels were detained in the port of Cienfuegos, and that their crews, together with that of the vessel which had been burned, were set at liberty. It is the duty of the undersigned to bring this extraordinary transaction to the notice of the Spanish government. This government will cheerfully receive any explanations of it which the Spanish government may feel itself at liberty to give. But in the meantime, assuming the facts to be correctly presented as they are above stated, the undersigned is instructed by the President of the United States to inform the Spanish government that he deems the admittance of the said piratical vessel, the Sumter, into the port of Cienfuegos, with the captured vessels and crews before described, her supply there with coal and water, and her permitted departure, to have been in violation of the treaties existing between this government and Spain, as well as of the law of nations; and this government, in this view, will expect the immediate release and discharge of the captured vessels and their cargoes. Reserving the subject of indemnity for the injury inflicted upon the United States by the transaction, as recited, until time for explanation shall have been afforded, the undersigned is nevertheless instructed to ask at once that her Catholic Majesty's government will take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of transactions in the ports of Spain of the kind now in question, which are not more injurious to the commerce of the United States than toward that of Spain herself and of all other commercial nations. The undersigned is induced to believe that those requests will not only meet prompt attention, but will even be answered in a manner satisfactory to the United States. This belief is founded on these facts: first, a correspondence which has taken place between the consul general of the United States and his excellency the governor general of the Island of Cuba relating to the subject has been submitted to this department, in which correspondence the governor general announces that he has been left withont the aid of instructions in the matter, and that he shall abide the directions of his government, in the meantime taking your advice in the premises. Further, this government has been advised by a communication from Mr. Perry, lately acting as chargé d'affaires at Madrid, under date of the 13th of June last, that he was directed by the Spanish government to inform the government of the United States that Spain would prohibit the entrance of southern privateers into any of her ports, peninsular or colonial, and would also prohibit the furnishing of any supplies to the rebels, whether arms, provisions, coals, ships, or any other merchandise, and that armed vessels, with their prizes, would not be permitted to enter the ports of Spain. Moreover, the same mail which brought the information of this transaction, brought also a despatch from Mr. Perry, containing later assurances received from the government of Spain similar to those already recited, together with an official copy of a royal decree of the 15th June, giving legal effect to the promises thus so repeatedly made. In specifying these particular grounds of confidence for an expectation of a satisfactory disposition of the subject of this communication, the undersigned is by no means to be regarded as excluding the more general assurances of amity and friendship which have been lately exchanged between the two governments, or their habits of good faith and reciprocal justice which have been confirmed by an almost unbroken experience of two-thirds of a century. In order to elucidate the subject of this note, the undersigned causes to be annexed thereto a copy of some of the official communications to which allusion has been made, and especially the correspondence between his excellency the governor general of Cuba and the consul general of the United States in that island, and the recent communication from Mr. Perry, together with a copy of the royal decree to which reference has been made. The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to offer to Mr. Tassara renewed assurances of his high consideration. WILLIAM H SEWARD. Señor Don GABRIEL GARCIA Y TASSARA, &c., &c., &c. No. 14.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Schurz. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 20, 1861. SIR: I send you copies of a correspondence which has taken place between this government and Mr. Tassara respecting the detention of several American vessels at Cienfuegos, which were carried into that port by the priva teer Sumter, with copies of documents which illustrate the subject. I regret very much that the captain general did not assume responsibility to deliver up the vessels, and that Mr. Tassara also declined it. It must be apparent that the entire commerce of Spain, as well as that of this country, is exposed to serious embarrassment if her Catholic Majesty's government, under whatever view of the subject, suffers privateers to find shelter, or supplies, or favor. This government does not doubt that the Spanish government will promptly direct the release of the vessels, with their cargoes. I am, sir, your obedient servant, CARL SCHURZ, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Madrid. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 5.] Mr. Schurz to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to enclose a copy of the royal order of the 16th of May last, addressed to the captain general of Cuba, and published in the Gazette of the Havana on the 16th June, just published in the official Gazette of Madrid. It provides that, during the fourteen months after its publication at the Havana, all hard biscuit should be admitted free of duty in Cuba, no matter whence it come; and also the duties on Indian corn, and Indian meal and flour, potatoes, and beans, should be reduced one-half during the same period. I suppose your attention will have been drawn to this order by the consul of the United States at Havana, and its provisions published for the benefit of our commerce. It is another indication confirmatory of what has been said by Mr. Perry, in his despatch No. 13, and by myself, in my No. 3, of 18th instant, as to the apparent disposition of the Spanish government to listen favorably to any propositions for a change in the restrictive system of duties upon our commerce with their colonies. With the highest respect, sir, your obedient servant, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches Nos. 10, 11, 12, and 13. The exequatur for Mr. Little has immediately been applied for. In pursuance of the instruction contained in your despatch No. 11, I addressed a note to Señor Calde: on Collantes, a copy of which is hereto annexed, (No. 1.) I would have solicited an interview with the secretary for the purpose of expressing to him the satisfaction with which the proclamation of the Queen was received by the President, had he not been absent from the capital. In my despatch No. 2 I informed you that on Monday, July 15, the second day after my reception, the Queen left Madrid for Santander, and that the secretary for foreign affairs accompanied her. Sandander not being one of the regular summer residences of the Queen, the diplomatic corps remained here, with the exception of a very few members who were specially invited to join the court, probably for the purpose of discussing Neapolitan affairs. It is for this reason that I have not seen Señor Calderon Collantes since the day of my reception by the Queen. Having no business on hand which called for immediate action, I deemed it prudent to follow the example of the rest of the diplomatic corps. The court will leave Santander on the 13th instant, and then either spend a few days at Madrid, or go directly to La Granja, where the Queen will be joined by the whole diplomatic corps. * * * * I am, sir, with high esteem, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, C. SCHURZ. Secretary of State. Mr. Schurz to Señor Calderon Collantes. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Madrid, July 31, 1861. SIR: Yesterday I received a despatch from the Secretary of State of the United States, informing me that the President has read with the greatest satisfaction the proclamation of her Catholic Majesty concerning the unfor tunate troubles that have arisen in the United States, and it affords me the sincerest pleasure to express to your excellency the high sense which the President entertains of her Majesty's prompt decision and friendly action upon this occasion. In connexion with the fulfilment of this most agreeable duty, I beg leave to call your excellency's attention to the following telegraphic report, contained in the London "Times" of July 27: "Advices have been received from Havana to the 10th instant. The privateer steamer Sumter had captured eight American ships laden with sugar on the south side of Cuba. One was burnt, and the other seven were taken by prize crews into Cienfuegos. One report states that the captain general of Cuba had released them. Another report asserts that he had detained them in order to refer the matter to Madrid." In the latter case I trust her Majesty's government will not hesitate to cause the policy laid down in the royal proclamation to be loyally and promptly carried into effect. I have the honor to remain, with sentiments of distinguished consideration, your excellency's obedient servant, His Excellency Don SATURNINO CALDERON COLLANTES, C. SCHURZ. First Secretary of State, &, &c. No. 18.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Schurz. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 8, 1861. SIR: Your despatch of July 15 (No. 2) has been received. Your speech was discreet in its points and felicitous in expression. The Queen's reply is entirely satisfactory. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CARL SCHURZ, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Madrid. Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward. [Translation.] LEGATION OF SPAIN AT WASHINGTON, The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, has the honor to bring to the knowledge of the honorable Secretary of State of the United States that, according to an official communication of the 28th of July from the captain general of the Island of Cuba, the vessels belonging to citizens of the United States taken into the port of Cienfuegos by the steamer "Sumter" have been set at liberty, the examination of the case proving that they were captured in waters within the jurisdiction of the island, and under unlawful circumstances. The undersigned avails of this occasion to reiterate to the Hon. William H. Seward the assurances of his highest consideration. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, GABRIEL G. TASSARA. Secretary of State of the United States. |