ness of America is gradually sinking itself, France alone has attempted to open the door to a reconciliation. Taking this for granted, in order to impute to her incessantly malevolent intentions, is a singular reasoning, while at the same time it is an act of blind ingratitude. If the ear has been closed to her friendly voice, let her not at least be reproached because, at an hour which she had powerful reasons for believing propitious, she had desired to point out the path to safety. France "awaits events; "this is the part which has been assigned her. She does not think of changing, and the newsmongers who seek to circulate the contrary would do well to ponder over this phrase, which we borrow again from a despatch from Mr. Dayton. "If the press of the United States could be made to understand the evil which it does us abroad by exaggerating and commenting upon these kind of rumors I am persuaded that it would exercise more reserve." No. 520.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 5, 1864. SIR: Your despatch of the 19th ultimo, No. 437, respecting the case of Mr. Mansfield, has been received with pleasure. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM L. DAYTON, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 521.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 5, 1864. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 21st ultimo No. 438, giving me a slip from Galignani's Messenger, reprinting from the "Globe," of London, a statement in regard to an alleged willingness of the United States to accredit a minister to and receive one from the proposed Emperor of Mexico. We were well aware that there was no foundation for the statement and proper measures have been taken authoritatively to contradict it. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM L. DAYTON, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 447.] Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. PARIS, April 7, 1864. SIR: Your despatches, Nos. 507, 508, and 509, are duly received. I am specially annoyed by the facts stated in despatch No. 509. If there be any mode of punishing the author of the unprincipled and dishonest fabrication of the report attributed to Mr. Mallory, I hope it will be done. Acting under your instructions, I not only communicated to Mr. Drouyn de l'Huys the extracts from the spurious report which you first sent me, but subsequently handed to him the entire report, which was also received from you or your department. I have daily been expecting from him a reply, as these papers, at his request, were left with him for that purpose. I observe that Earl Russell, yesterday, in his place in Parliament, informed the house that Mr. Adams had told him that this pretended report was a forgery, and this statement is already copied in the French newspapers. I have seen Mr. Drouyn de l'Huys to-day for the first time since the reception of your despatch, and immediately told him you were satisfied a fraud had been practiced upon the public and on our government in reference to this paper. He had evidently not attached much importance to the subject, as I had some difficulty in recalling to his mind what paper I was alluding to. I was the more surprised at this, as I left the papers with him, as before said, at his own request, he meaning, as I inferred, to give a written answer. The confederates will take special pains to create the impression that a fraud has been practiced by our government, and not a fraud upon it. The spirit manifested will be seen in the annexed slip from their English organ, the "Index," cut from Galignani, of this morning, in which, by the way, all that is evil and against us is always promptly copied. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c. WM. L. DAYTON. [From the Index.] Meddle and MUDDLE.-Some curious revelations have come to our knowledge about the remonstrance which her Majesty's government has announced its intention to address to that of the Confederate States, upon the basis of an alleged report of the confederate secretary of the navy, which is denounced. by the confederates in Europe as a forgery. It will be remembered that the recall of three of the four British consuls within the confederate jurisdiction, and the dismissal by the confederate government of the fourth and last remaining, left the foreign office no alternative but to communicate with the authorities at Richmond by a special envoy. For this delicate mission Mr. Crawford, her Majesty's consul-general at Havana, was selected, and it must be admitted that in this selection Earl Russell displayed far more tact and discretion than he has of late been able to claim credit for. Mr. Crawford, both before and since the war, has been well and favoraby known in the southern States, and is universally esteemed there. Few persons, therefore, could have been found better adapted to discharge so disagreeable a duty without giving offence. Before, however, proceeding in person to Richmond, he was instructed to acquaint the confederate government with the nature of his communication, and ascertain whether it would be received. For this purpose the steamer Petrel was sent to a confederate port, but was peremptorily refused admission by the federal blockading. squadron, on the ground that no direct communication with the confederate authorities by a foreign government could be permitted. Here the matter stands at present, and it leaves Earl Russell in no very agreeable or dignified dilemma. It is generally believed in confederate circles that the object of the Washington government is to delay as long as possible the official exposure of the forgery, which must inevitably ensue on the presentation of a remonstrance based upon a document to which the name of the confederate secretary of the navy is fraudulently appended. Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. No. 448.] PARIS, April 7, 1964. SIR: Mr. Drouyn de l'Huys has informed me to-day that Arman had sold to Sweden those two iron-clad rams now being built by him at Bordeaux for the confederates. He assured Mr. Drouyn de l'Huys that the affair was completed. and offered to show him the contract which he then had in his hands. Mr. Drouyn de l'Huys says he did not examine the contract, but says he is satisfied that the sale has been made. I told him frankly I had little confidence in Arman's statements on this subject, and should immediately write to our minister at Sweden to make sure of the facts. I shall do so by this mail. Mr. Arman said likewise that he was seeking a neutral purchaser for those clipper ships, although, as he said, these were mere vessels of commerce. Two of them are advertised in the Bordeaux papers to sail in the China line-one called the Yeddo, on the 30th of this month; the other, called the Ozaca, on the 30th of next month. The Rappahannock, yet in the basin at Calais, he says, is a great trouble to him. He seems scarcely to know what ultimately to do with her. It seems he has a committee of jurisconsults connected with his department as advisers, and says he means to submit the facts to them. I have, of course, made him aware from the beginning that the treatment given to these insurgent vessels was looked upon by us as a violation of international law, and as involving a just ground of complaint by us against the French government. I have told him, too, that our government held all restrictions imposed by port rules on our vessels-of-war differing from those imposed by us upon their vessels, as illegal and unjust. That we claimed in their ports every courtesy that we extended to them in the ports of our own country. I do not think there can possibly be any misunderstanding as to our meaning on these questions. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. No. 524.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your despatch of March 25, No. 440, has been received. You allude therein to a report that reaches us through English journals of effect that it is arranged that the projected imperial government in Mexico shall soon extend a recognition to the insurgents at Richmond. The contradiction of this report, on the authority of the Emperor of France, as you have communicated it to me, is gratifying, although no credit whatever has been given here to the statements referred to. On the contrary, it has not seemed probable that the Prince Maximilian could extend his guardianship to insurgents here while yet engaged in a struggle with the existing authorities of Mexico, unless indeed. he was assured of support in that event by the government of France. Nor has it seemed probable, in view of previous explanations of M. Drouyn de l'Huys, that the Emperor of the French would be anxious to enlarge his responsibilities concerning American politics, at least before the Mexican problem should have definitely reached a solution. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM L. DAYTON, Esq. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 526.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Mr. Geofroy, chargé d'affaires of the Emperor, has submitted for my perusal a despatch which, on the 21st of March last, was addressed to him by M. Drouyn de l'Huys, in which he renews a request that the French government may be allowed to send to this country some officers who shall have facilities for observing military arrangements and preparations on both sides of the civil war, with an exclusive view to their bearing on improvements in the art of war. M. Drouyn de l'Huys, in support of this request, reminds us that all governments which follow with most marked interest the progress of military art have, every time when war has broken out, obtained the privilege of attaching officers for making such observations to general staff of each of the belligerents. We have cheerfully acceded to this urgent application, so far as it relates to the army of the United States, but we cannot extend the commission so as to permit commissioners to pass our lines to make observations among the insurgents. You need not be informed that the United States have not only not recognized the insurgents of this country as a lawful belligerent, but that this government constantly protested against the award of that character to them by France, and other foreign powers. We have distinctly asserted that they ought to be regarded by all friendly powers as avowed insurgents. The President has not deviated from this line of policy, and could not with a just regard to the public welfare deviate from it further than to alleviate the severities of the painful conflict by such exceptional practices in regard to prisoners of war as the sympathies of fraternity and humanity require. We have no jealousy of France, and have perfect confidence that such a military commission as she proposes would conduct itself with entire abstinence from whatever might be prejudicial to the United States. But at the same time we cannot fail to see that the insurgents themselves would infer from such a concession to France that we were willing to regard them as a recognized military power, and that this erroneous interpretation would have a tendency to prolong their resistance to the national authority. Not long ago her Britannic Majesty's government applied to the United States for leave to send an agent through our military lines to remonstrate with the insurgents. It was believed that such a remonstrance could not in itself be injurious to the interests of this government; but the request was nevertheless declined upon the same general ground that I have assumed in this communication. You will please make these necessary explanations to M. Drouyn de l'Huys, with the assurance that the President sincerely regrets that he finds himself obliged to withhold a courtesy which would be gratifying to the Emperor of France. I have frankly made known to Mr. Geofroy the contents of this despatch. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM L. DAYTON, Esq. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. No. 449.] [Extract.] PARIS, April 11, 1864. SIR: After sundry impediments, which, it would seem, have rendered the action of the Archduke Maximilian somewhat uncertain, and have much delayed his departure, it would seem he has at last accepted the offered crown of Mexico, and to-day he starts on his most adventurous career, going to that country by the way of Rome that he may receive the benediction of the Pope. I enclose you a slip, cut from Galignani, giving the substance of his speech to the Mexican deputation upon accepting the crown offered by them, and likewise another short slip, cut from the Moniteur, being its only comment of to-day on the subject. The French papers say that his government will not only be promptly acknowledged by the Catholic powers, but by all the leading governments of Europe, including England, Russia, Prussia, and France. For something like this you will, of course, be prepared. I need not say what I have in substance said before, that I look upon this proceeding with intense anxiety. Nothing has occurred since my residence at this court which foreshadows future difficulty with France so probably as its action in this matter. God grant that it may be long delayed, and, if possible, avoided; but I fear. * I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. "TRIESTE, 10th.-The Emperor arrived at Miramar yesterday morning at eight o'clock. After signing the documents and taking breakfast, his Majesty returned to Vienna, accompanied by the archdukes and Count de Rechberg. Their Mexican Majesties will leave to-morrow at 4 p. m. The reception of the deputation takes place this day." "TRIESTE, 10th.-This day, a little before noon, took place, at Miramar, the official reception of the Mexican deputation, and the acceptation of the crown of Mexico by the Archduke Maximilian. M. Guttierez de Estrada, the head of the deputation, delivered a long address, in which he dwelt on the importance of the national vote of Mexico. The archduke, replying in Spanish, said that he felt not the slightest doubt, from the act of adhesion just presented to him, that the immense majority of the country were in favor of the imperial form of government, and of himself as the head of the state. The choice of the country had been laid down in his reply of October 3 as one condition of his acceptance; and another was that full guarantees should be given of his being able to devote himself peaceably to the task of advancing the prosperity of the country. Those guarantees were now fully assured, thanks to the magnanimity of the Emperor of the French, who, during the whole of the negotiations, had shown a straightforwardness and kindness which he (the speaker) could never forget. The illustrious head of my family,' pursued the archduke, having given his consent, I now declare that, relying on the assistance of the Almighty, I accept the crown offered me by the Mexican nation. As I stated in my address of October 3, I shall endeavor to place the monarchy under the authority of the constitutional laws as soon as the pacification of the country shall be complete. The force of a government is, in my opinion, more assured by sound regulations than by the extent of its limits, and I shall be anxious for the exercise of my government to fix such bounds to it as may insure its duration. I shall hold firmly aloft the flag of independence, as the symbol of our future grandeur. I call for the cooperation of all the Mexicans who love their country to aid me in the accomplishment of noble but most difficult task. Never shall my government forget the gratitude it owes to the illustrious sovereign whose friendly support has rendered the regeneration of our noble land possible. I am now on the point of leaving for my new country, paying, as I go, a visit to Rome, where I shall receive from the holy father that benediction which is so precious for all sovereigns, but above all to me, called, as I am, to found a new empire." my |