Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: Your messenger, Mr. Cox, arrived in Paris on Saturday night last with your despatches Nos. 368 and 369.
Upon careful examination of their contents I found that I had, in a great measure, anticipated your instructions, and communicated to you the result in my despatch of July 2, No. 323. Indeed, upon reading that despatch to Mr. Cox he said at once that had it been received before he left the country you would not, probably, have sent him to Europe. After consulting with him I deemed it most prudent, especially in view of the late favorable news from the United States, not to make a formal application to M. Drouyn de l’Huys for a special interview in reference to the subject-matter of your despatch, but to wait until his regular reception day, and then, in connexion with other business at the foreign office, introduce the subject incidentally. This I have done.
I then called his attention to the fact that the journals of our country were now largely commenting upon the position and purposes of the Emperor in reference to the acknowledgment of the independence of the south, and that certain matters in connexion with the conversation between the Emperor and Messrs Roebuck and Lindsay, as reported by them, were calculated to induce a belief that the Emperor wished to acknowledge the south, and was held back by England only. I further stated that it had been reported, from most reliable sources, that Baron Gros had said the Emperor would make another proposition to England to act with him in acknowledging the south, and, if she would not do it, he would act alone. That these matters were calculated to create unpleasant feeling in the United States towards the imperial government, and, if not true, I thought it desirable for the interests of both countries that they be corrected. I furthermore asked him distinctly what was the policy of the Emperor in reference to the south. You will observe that in this way I reached the subject-matter without saying I had had any formal instructions from my government to interrogate France on these questions. The answer of Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys was, in substance, as follows: He said that the Emperor had at no time made any proposition to England to acknowledge the south. That when Messrs. Roebuck and Lindsay came over they pressed him hard to do so. They said England was ready to acknowledge the south, and would do so if it were not believed that France would refuse to follow. That if he would but say the word, their proposition for acknowledgment (then pending in the House of Commons) would pass at once. He answered that he had given England no cause to believe he would not act with her; that the only proposition as to any action in our affairs had been made by him to England and been rejected by her. They then urged that he should make the proposition for acknowledgment to England, which he declined to do. They then asked if they might communicate his views. He answered to this, merely, that his views on the subject were no secret; but Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys says he never dreamed of their attempting to use them, as they afterwards did, in the House of Commons. He furthermore told them that he would not act alone upon any important matters, either on the continent or in America, and more especially would he not act alone in our affairs.
As to the remarks attributed to Baron Gros, he would scarcely permit me to finish the statement of what they were. He began shaking his head as I went on, and, at the close, promptly said, Baron Gros never made such remarks. He had never said anything of the kind, official or unofficial, public or private, as if knowing the views of the baron on this question. He disclaimed the statement for him in the most positive and explicit manner.
[Page 758]In answer to my question as to the policy of the Emperor in reference to the south, he said “he had none; he waited on events.” This, you may remember, I long since apprised you was, in my judgment, what he was doing, but I confess I began to fear that, unless events mended, he might think that he had waited about long enough.
After some other remarks and questions by Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys as to our recent successes, (the importance of which, especially that at Vicksburg, he seemed fully to appreciate,) our conversation closed.
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I commit this despatch to Mr. Cox, though it will not, perhaps, reach you in that way quite as early as by our ordinary means of conveyance.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.