Message of the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress, at the Commencement of the Second Session of the Thirty-seventh Congress

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward .

No. 15.]

Legation of the United States,
Brussels, July 18, 1861.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches Nos. 9, 10, and 11, under dates of the 20th and 22d respectively.

I have as yet received no reply from M. De Vrière to my note to him of the 5th ultimo, on the subject of our adhesion to the declaration of the congress of Paris. I referred to it a few days since on the occasion of a visit to the foreign office, and was told that my proposition had been communicated to the French government, and that communication had been made by it to this government of the main points of the note addressed by M. Thouvenel to M. Mercier in the month of May upon this subject of neutral rights. I inferred from this that they were awaiting the result of the communications made to you by the French and English governments through their ministers at Washington.

I will take an early opportunity to bring the subject again to the attention of the minister.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,

H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. William H Seward,
Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.