The undersigned, in pursuance of the understanding come to this morning,
has the honor to transmit to the honorable Secretary of State a copy of
the instructions received from Count Rechberg concerning the maritime
rights of neutrals in time of war; and he takes this opportunity to
renew his offer of high consideration to the honorable Secretary of
State
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State of the United States.
Baron Rechberg
to Mr. Hülsemann.
[Translation.]
No. 6993.—H.]
Vienna,
July 1, 1861.
Sir: With deep regret we continue to follow
events in the United States which, shaking the foundations of the
Union, have effectively taken the character of an active warfare
between powers; whence it has ensued that friendly nations, for the
protection of their own commerce and navigation, are placed
reluctantly in such position that they must reclaim their rights as
neutrals.
You already know by my despatch of 14th June of last year what
principles of international law bearing upon the questions of
maritime rights in time of war we relied upon as between us and the
government of the Union, whether under the provisions of old
treaties, or under more recent arrangements; inasmuch as we have
given our adhesion to the Paris declaration of maritime rights in
1856, as tending to improve the heretofore ill-advised mode of
dealing with the political fluctuations that lie before us.
Albeit the government of the Union did not explicitly and at once
accept, upon the first invitation, the declaration of the European
powers, yet we still entertain an earnest expectation that such
subsequent express assent may be given, as the abrogation of all
hindrance to the security of private property on the seas was
established on the broadest grounds.
By a proposal which, unfortunately, was not accepted on the other
side, we, however, as you know, were always ready and willing to
sustain the principle.
We await, however, in friendly expectation, at least, the express
recognition of the second, third, and fourth principles of the Paris
declaration on the part of the United States quite distinctly from
that, because the government of the Union, on different occasions,
has not only plainly expressed these principles in manner more or
less forcible, but has upon its own motion set them forth and
explicitly maintained them.
We therefore rest securely in the belief that we may soon receive a
satisfactory communication upon this subject, and that under the
high-authority of the President, administering the relations of his
government, the above mentioned three principles will be
authentically asserted by the United States. But you also have it in
express charge to invite the earnest attention of the Secretary of
State to the matter, and to take the same steps as we see reason to
adopt with the other European powers in what may be regarded as
definitively settled.
You will, I hope, carry this important question through to a
favorable close, and I present you the assurances of my cordial
sympathies.
His Excellency the Chevalier Hulsemann,
&c., &c., &c.,
Washington.
