Office of the Historian
[Translation.]

Mr. Pelissier to Mr. Thouvenel.

French Mission to Morocco, Tangier, March 3, 1862.

Mr. Minister: Mr. De Long, consul general of the United States at Tangier, yesterday addressed to all the consular corps a strange circular on the subject of the disorders which preceded the shipping off of Messrs. Tunstall and Myers, mentioned in my reports of the 27th of last month. The letter of Mr. De Long has produced upon all his colleagues a very ill effect.

I have the honor to transmit to you a copy of this circular, and of the answer which on my part I believed it my duty to make.

Accept, &c,

H. PELISSIER.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Circular addressed to the consular corps (at Tangier) by Mr. De Long, consul general of the United States.

[Translation.]
Tangier, March 1, 1862.

Sir: On the afternoon of the 26th of last month the consulate of the United States was besieged, the American flag insulted, and my life placed in danger by an armed populace, composed of European subjects resident in the locality, under the protection of the representatives of foreign nations.

The circumstances which accompanied the recital made of this outrage lead me to believe that no one of the representatives above mentioned interfered to disperse that gang before measures had been taken by the minister for foreign affairs of the government of Morocco.

After the trials my beloved country is passing through, we shall have a Union and a Constitution, which we shall uphold and transmit intact to our children and our children’s children through succeeding generations, and a flag everywhere known and respected will not have been insulted with impunity by a vile European populace on the coast of Africa; above all, proceeding from such authors or from those who have been in connivance with them.

Informing you thereof, in your prompt answer to this communication, you will please to exculpate yourself honorably, and put me in position to render to my government a satisfactory report.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

JAMES DE LONG.

Mr. H. Pelissier, Chargé d’ Affaires of France, ad interim, at Tangier.