Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Third Session Thirty-seventh Congress

[Translation.]

Mr. Thouvenel to Mr. Mercier.

Paris, March 13, 1862.

Sir: I think it proper to send you a copy of a despatch which I have just received from our agent at Tangier, with respect to an affair which has caused an excitement in that city which may be readily accounted for. Two Americans, belonging to the southern States of the Union, who had taken passage at Gibraltar on board the French packet-boat called La Ville de Malaga, bound to Cadiz, having landed at Tangier, were there, upon the requisition of the consul of the United States, arrested by the Moorish force, put in irons, and embarked on board a sloop-of-war sent for by Mr. De Long. You will see, sir, what impression this act caused among the foreign colony. The violent language and the threats of the American consul alone have induced the local authority to lend him to the end their co-operation, and, if the other foreign agents had not occupied themselves in pacifying their fellow countrymen, that incident might have led to unpleasant consequences for the consulate of the United States. The cabinet of Washington would not, without doubt, approve the conduct pursued on this occasion by its representative. The fact that Messrs. Myers and Tunstall, having taken passage for Cadiz on board a French boat, were but temporarily on shore when they were seized, and might believe themselves, as a consequence, still under the protection of our flag, this fact might authorize us, strictly speaking, to complain, on our own account, of the deplorable measures, under all aspects, which Mr. De Long has not hesitated to adopt. I do not desire, however, to put the question upon that ground. It is sufficient that we should recall to mind the conflict which arose at Smyrna, some years ago, between the commander of a vessel of the United States and the commander of an Austrian brig, respecting a Hungarian refugee, Martin Costa, to be assured that the federal government will not judge of the incident referred to otherwise than we do. In fact, it has not been forgotten that Costa, having disembarked from an American vessel, and having been arrested by order of the consul of Austria, at once claimed the American protection; that, upon the order of the charge d’affaires of the United States at Constantinople, the commander of the American corvette, the St. Louis, wrote to the commander of the Austrian brig, the Huzar, to demand from him, nolens volens, the surrender of Costa, held on board his vessel, and that this proceeding brought about finally, with the intervention of the foreign consuls, the release of the Hungarian refugee. It cannot be that, after the commander of an American vessel has drawn up, with the approbation of his government, demands so energetic on a similar occasion, that the United States can have any interest in defending acts which are so contrary, as that which Mr. De Long has permitted himself to commit, to the principles which they then honored themselves in defending.

Accept, &c,

THOUVENEL.

Mr. H. Mercier, Minister of France at Washington.

[Translation.]

Extract from a despatch from Mr. Thouvenel, dated March 20, 1862, Paris.

You will find here annexed copy of a fresh despatch, which I received from our agent at Tangier, on the subject of the regretted incident which I acquainted you with by the last mail. You already know that the colleagues of Mr. De Long, although their impressions on the fact of the seizure of Messrs. Myers and Tunstall did not differ from those which were entertained by all the European population, busied themselves in calming the irritations of their countrymen against the American consul, and prevented any more serious danger to him personally. Far, however, from appreciating the generous intervention of his colleagues, Mr. De Long thought he had a right to address them a circular, the strange terms of which, to say no more, will incur, I have no doubt, the full disapproval of the cabinet of Washington. We must the more, in what regards us, attach some importance to it because Mr. Pelissier, who would have been completely justified, in our eyes, if he had abstained from replying to the consul of the United States, allowed himself, out of respect for the government which that agent represented, to enter into explanations from which the circumstances relieved him, and did so with a moderation of which the circular of Mr. De Long gave him no example.

Receive, &c,

THOUVENEL.

[Translation.]

The Acting Consul General of France in Morocco to His Excellency Mr. Thouvenel.

Tangier, February 27, 1862.

Messrs. Tunstall and Myers, about whom I had the honor to write you on the 20th of this month, were embarked yesterday afternoon on board the United States corvette, by Mr. De Long, consul general of that nation for Morocco. This embarcation was not effected without some difficulty. It has produced amongst all here a bad impression; and the European population of our city, justly indignant at the conduct of Mr. De Long towards Messrs. Tunstall and Myers, sought to take his prisoners from him. I will take up things from the beginning.

As your excellency knows, the representatives of the Christian powers in Morocco have, by virtue of the treaties of their governments with this empire, the right to call in the aid of the local authorities to arrest their countrymen. It is this aid which Mr. De Long has maliciously called upon to arrest Messrs. Tunstall and Myers, who had landed, without any distrust, at Tangier to see a friend, and who believed there was no more danger there than in the streets of Gibraltar or of Cadiz. The Pacha was applied to for soldiers to arrest two Americans—granted them without more ample information, and Messrs. Tunstall and Myers found themselves suddenly seized upon as malefactors, chained, and conveyed to the American consulate, where they remained, tied hands and feet, until the moment of their embarcation. The brutal conduct of Mr. De Long has roused against him the indignation of all Tangier, and his colleagues, while they desire to observe perfect neutrality, cannot refrain from blaming him.

The day before yesterday the minister, Mr. Bargass, received a letter from the commander of the Sumter, informing him that Messrs. Myers and Tunstall were very worthy people; that the consul general of the northern States had caused them to be arrested only because they belonged to the southern States, which were at war with his government in consequence of their secession; that the Confederate States would soon be a nation recognized in Europe, and that he had been very much surprised to learn that the authorities of Morocco at Tangier had aided Mr. De Long in arresting Messrs. Myers and Tunstall while peace existed between their country and Morocco. He ended by requesting the liberation of Messrs. Tunstall and Myers. Sidi Mohammed Bargass, on the receipt of the letter from the commander of the Sumter, wrote to Mr. De Long to request him to release his prisoners, adding, in moderate terms, that the government of Morocco, which kept aloof from all questions existing among Christians, and wished to be at peace with all, would desire, under the circumstances, as the thing had taken place in Europe, to see the independence of her territory respected. Pending these incidents the United States corvette, summoned by Mr. De Long, arrived and anchored in the waters of Tangier, and the consul general went yesterday with her commander to reply to the communication from the minister of Morocco.

Here is the article of my treaty, said Mr. De Long to Sidi Bargass, which gives me the right to call for the aid of the local authority to arrest and ship my countrymen. Messrs. Myers and Tunstall are rebellious subjects of my country, of whom I have taken possession, and if you do not aid me with the strong hand, I will take down my flag, break its staff, and embark at once, and war will be declared against you by the United States. Nothing more was needed to frighten Minister Bargass, who then gave all his assistance to the American consul, after having had his promise, however, that their lives would be safe.

The European population of Tangier, as soon as it was known that the two prisoners were to be put on shipboard, went almost in a solid body to the American consulate to request their liberation from Mr. De Long. The consul general and the commander of the American corvette replied to this entirely pacific demonstration by insult and menace. Then knives were drawn, threats of death were uttered, and the crowd was already rushing into the apartments of the American hotel to carry off Messrs. Tunstall and Myers, when the consuls, informed of what was passing, called upon their countrymen to withdraw, and to abstain from any hostile demonstration. The authorities, on their side, caused the gates of the city to be closed for fear some conflict might take place between the populace and the men of the American boats, who were awaiting the prisoners at the sea gate.

Mr. De Long delayed the embarcation of Messrs. Tunstall and Myers until the state of feeling was more calm, and about five o’clock in the afternoon a squad composed of American seamen and of soldiers of the Mighzen conveyed to the sea gate the two prisoners, who, strongly bound, were borne along by main strength. They were at once put on board the United States corvette, which made an offing during the night.

Deign to accept, &c., &c.