Mr. Seward to Mr. Pike.
Sir: Your despatch of March 26 (No. 43) has been received.
The series of successes upon which you commented in that paper has been continued. The nation already sees, as Europe must soon come to understand, that the counsels of the Union are wise, its forces strong, its resources unexhausted, and its purposes equally firm and generous.
It may be doubtful whether American pirates will any longer disturb the peace of Europe. But it is very important that the course of the government of the Netherlands shall be such as to prevent complaint. Every interest of the Netherlands, as well as of the United States, and even every interest of humanity, require that these two countries remain friends. It cannot be too well understood that the people of this country, now that the crisis in our affairs is supposed to have passed, are already forming judgments upon facts, as to what states have been friendly and what states unfriendly, and are adopting partialities and prejudices according to the results of that investigation. Is it well for a state which is greatest in its colonies, like the Netherlands, to disregard the good will of a chief maritime power, whose commerce with those countries is intimate and important ?
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
James S. Pike, Esq., &c, &c, &c.