Mr. Seward to Mr. Morris.
Sir: Your despatch of February 23 (without a number) has been received.
You did very well in submitting our propositions to the Sultan’s government for meliorations of the law in regard to neutral rights in maritime war, and the President is gratified with the very favorable attention which was bestowed upon the subject by the minister for foreign relations.
In submitting these propositions to all the maritime powers the United States were moved by a sincere desire for such a general acceptance of them as would insure their incorporation into the law of nations. Some of the powers most deeply interested, however, having insisted upon attaching to their acceptance of the propositions a condition which the United States cannot grant, the President has instructed me to suspend the negotiations for the present, not only with these powers, but with all other states.
You will thus see that the result at which you have arrived at Constantinople is exactly the one which we have contemplated and desired.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Edward Joy Morris, Esq., &c., &c., Constantinople.