Mr. Merrier to Mr. Seward.
Sir: H. E. M. Thouvenel wrote to me lately to give my attention to the grave considerations which are pressed upon the government of the Emperor by the ills of every kind which weigh upon our commerce and our industry in consequence of the present condition of things in the United States, and has pointed out to me, among others, those which result to our merchants from the interruption of all postal communication with the States subjected to blockade by the federal forces. Upon this subject he cited to me, for example, the fact that important French houses, occupying the best conditions as to solvency, would suddenly find themselves exposed to inability to honor their engagements, by failure of the reception of the heavy remittances due to them from their correspondents established in the southern States, the aggregate of which for the city of New Orleans alone amounts to, at least, six or eight millions of dollars.
I cannot doubt, sir, after the promptitude full of kindness which you showed in facilitating to the Frenchmen who needed it the means of leaving New Orleans, that you can be indisposed to give to a condition so painful all the alleviations which circumstances admit. I shall appeal, then, with confidence to your kind attention to an arrangement which might achieve the object to a certain degree, while waiting for affairs to resume their regular current, and which appears to me to contain nothing contrary to the purpose which the cabinet at Washington is pursuing.
This arrangement would consist in authorizing the consuls of the Emperor to receive and deliver, upon their responsibility, the correspondence addressed to our countrymen, when, after having perused it, they shall be convinced that it was entirely commercial, and had no relation to any operation which might lead to violation of the blockade. This correspondence should be forwarded, either by the legation or the consulate general at New York, under the seal of office, to our consuls at New Orleans, at Charleston, and at Richmond, and by those to the consulate general at New York, and sent on by vessels-of-war along with the regular official correspondence.
It seems to me, sir, that these conditions, which, with all those which it may please you to add, would be observed with most scrupulous care, would suffice to give to the federal government all the guarantees it can desire and they will admit of, at the same time it would in no way impair the efficiency of the blockade, to mitigate the embarrassment it inflicts upon those of our nation.
I embrace this occasion, sir, to renew to you the assurances of my high consideration.
Hon. Wm. H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.