Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Third Session Thirty-seventh Congress
Viscount Treilhard to Mr. Seward.
The Viscount Treilhard presents his compliments to Mr. Seward, and has the honor to communicate to him the papers, hereunto annexed, referring to a Frenchman whose funds are held in custody in consequence of a conflict of authority between Mr. Reverdy Johnson and General Butler.
Count Mejan to Mr. Mercier.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to send you the two papers, enclosed herewith, relating to the affair of Mr. Edward Dupasseur. Mr. Reverdy Johnson, to whom this affair had been submitted, had given the opinion that the funds deposited were the legitimate property of Mr. Dupasseur, and should be restored to him; but this withdrawal was again prevented by a formal order from General Butler, who has refused to give a reason therefor.
This new decision in the withdrawal of the funds belonging to Mr. Dupasseur may occasion to him considerable injury, in consequence of the loss of interest, and of the possible depreciation of specie, both in gold and silver.
Be pleased, Mr. Minister, to accept the assurances of my high consideration,
Count H. Mercier, Envoy Ex. and Min. Plenipo. of France in the United States, Washington.
P. S.—The funds referred to belong to Messrs. Edward Dupasseur & Co. and not to Mr. Dupasseur alone.
Mr. Dupasseur & Co. to Count Mejan.
Sir: On the 14th of April last we purchased of the Citizens’ Bank an amount of coin amounting to $716,196, which we settled for by our drafts, at four months’ sight, upon sundry bankers in Paris, and upon our house in Havre.
With your consent we deposited this coin at the consulate of France, and carried the bill of sale of the bank, receipted for by the cashier, to be sworn to at your chancery, as French property. About one month since we were summoned, in your presence, to appear before General Butler, who interrogated us upon this purchase of coin. We replied to him that we had only intended making a purely commercial transaction, advantageous to us, because it offered [Page 428] us a profit of from three per cent. to four per cent.; and that, as he had appeared to suspect, this money was in no way intended to purchase arms in Europe, but really to pay the drafts which we had drawn against it. We added, furthermore, that we had never run the blockade, nor made any contract with the confederate government or with its officers. General Butler requested us, and also yourself, not to take this coin from the consulate until the arrival of the honorable Reverdy Johnson, the commissioner of the United States who was to settle the matter; to which we acceded.
Last week we were interrogated by the honorable Reverdy Johnson, who made a record of our answers. We communicated to him and gave him copies of the letters addressed to our different bankers, and to our house, in relation to this transaction, and also as to its entry in our books. We added thereto a statement of facts, of which you will find, enclosed, a true copy. We went, this morning, to see Mr. Reverdy Johnson, and to ask him for his decision; he replied to us that he had no authority to release this coin here, but immediately on his arrival at Washington he would make his report, a report which, according to his own words, he left us to infer would be favorable. We asked him, at the same time, why General Butler had prevented us from withdrawing this coin from the consulate; he replied to us that he did not know. Such are the facts Mr. Consul which we take the liberty to relate to you, asking the favor of you to have the goodness to submit them to the ambassador of France at Washington.
We protest, in the most solemn manner, against any insinuation or suspicion whatever which should tend to have the government of the United States to suppose that this coin is destined to any other object than the one of covering the drafts which we have drawn to meet it. We repeat that we have only intended to make a purely commercial transaction, and cannot account for the reasons which have caused its seizure.
We beg you to insist with the ambassador that this coin be returned to us immediately, for not only does any delay in its transmission seriously injure our interests; but further exposes us to the dangers inherent to the state of war, and the complications which may arise therefrom.
We have the honor to be, count, your very obedient servants,
The Count Mejan, Consul of France at New Orleans.
Statement of Edward Dupasseur.
Edward Dupasseur, one of the claimants, makes the following statement, under oath, to be submitted to the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, commissioner of the United States:
On the 21st day of April last I sold to the Citizens’ Bank the following drafts, viz:
| Francs. | Francs. | |
| On Ad. Marcuard & Co., Paris | 280,000 | |
| 260,000 | ||
| 240,000 | ||
| 220,000 | ||
| 1,000,000 | ||
| On B. Fould & Co., Paris | 280,000 | |
| 260,000 | ||
| 240,000 | ||
| 220,000 | ||
| 1,000,000 | ||
| On Thélier & Henrotte, Paris | 280,000 | |
| 260,000 | ||
| 240,000 | ||
| 220,000 | ||
| 1,000,000 | ||
| On Dupasseur, Lecog, Frères & Co., Paris | 300,000 | |
| 280,000 | ||
| 580,980 | ||
| Amounting, all together | 3,580,980 |
Three millions five hundred eighty thousand nine hundred and eighty francs, producing at the rate of exchange of five francs the dollar, seven hundred sixteen thousand one hundred and ninety-six dollars, payable in specie, which I received in payment from the bank as follows:
| 5,480 Mexican doubloons | $85,488 |
| 800 South American doubloons | 12,320 |
| Sovereigns, 20 franc pieces, 10 guilders | 3,388 |
| American gold | 95,000 |
| Silver dollars | 520,000 |
| 716,196 |
Being a French subject, I deposited said coin at the office of the French consul for safe keeping, and had the invoice made to me by the bank, sworn as French property.
The drafts I gave to the bank were drawn at four months’ sight, and by special agreement were not to be accepted until this coin was shipped, so as to give me ample time to pay the same out of the proceeds of the coin. The operation was purely a commercial one and perfectly safe and sound for me. I expected, and still expect, when the coin is shipped, to make three to four per cent., depending, in great measure, on the price of silver in Europe at the time of the arrival of this specie.
The operation, as regards to the bank, was equally advantageous: firstly, in placing their coin in Europe; secondly, in giving at the rate of exchange of this, say a handsome profit, from ten to twelve per cent., while liquidating, in the same time, their liabilities.
I do further swear and declare that I have never been running the blockade or making any description of contract whatever with the confederate government, or any of its officers, for the purpose of supplying it with arms or ammunitions of war. On the contrary, I have always maintained a perfect neutrality, as I was bound to do as a French subject.
I remain, very respectfully, pour copie conforme,