Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: I was telegraphed yesterday by our vice-consul at Brest that the rebel steamer Florida, with her machinery damaged, had come into that port for repairs; that she had a crew of 128 men and 24 passengers. The telegraphic operator announced from Queenstown on the 18th that this vessel was off Kinsale on the preceding day, and had there transferred three of her passengers to a pilot-boat. Immediately on receiving notice of her presence in the roadstead of Brest, I went to the foreign office, but, unfortunately, Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys had left Paris for a week’s absence, and left no person specially in charge of the foreign department Under the circumstances, therefore, I saw M. le Baron d’André, chief of the cabinet of the ministry of foreign affairs, and protested against any favor or hospitality being extended to this piratical vessel. He said, however, that France, like England, had recognized the confederates as belligerents. I told him that my government had not, and therefore I made the protest in this form; but if, in recognizing them as belligerents, the government of France should feel constrained to afford them any relief, I suggested that it should be confined within the narrowest limits that humanity would dictate. I told him that if relief were extended beyond the most restricted bounds, France would soon find that this was but the “beginning of the end;” that one of her ports had now been chosen as a rendezvous in preference to a port of England, under the impression, I presumed, that they would be better received.
Baron d’Andre said he had no authority in the premises, and could do no [Page 762] more than refer our conversation to the minister, but he presumed that what was permitted to be done in her behalf would be restricted within the narrowest limits dictated by the rule in such cases.
I have this day sent out a note to the minister, informing him that I had learned that the Florida had come into Brest, not for repairs of machinery only, but for coal, which had been denied to her at Bermuda, from which port she had come. The fact is, that as she is a good sailing vessel, and has crossed the Atlantic, as I believe, principally, by that means, neither coal nor machinery is necessary to her safety, although a great convenience, doubtless, in enabling her to prey upon our commerce. It may well be doubted whether the rule which limits aid in such cases, to what is called for by necessity and humanity, applies at all to her case.
I should add that I have telegraphed to Cherbourg, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, in the hope of finding the frigate Macedonia, or some other of our ships-of-war, within reach, but I can find none. The Constellation, a sailing ship, is somewhere in the Mediterranean.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.
P. S.—Enclosed is a copy of the note sent by me this day to the department of foreign affairs.