[Translation.]

Mr. Geofroy to Mr. Seward

Sir: Upon a request for explanations addressed to him by the minister of the United States at Paris on the subject of the arrest of which Mr. Mansfield, consular agent of the United States at Tabasco, had been the object, the 23d December last, his excellency, the minister for foreign affairs, after having asked for information necessary on the matter from his colleagues of the navy and war, has replied to Mr. Dayton that nothing in the correspondence of the agents of the government of the Emperor in Mexico would authorize a belief that such an incident had taken place. M. Drouyn de l’Huys has, at any rate, written again to Mexico to be more completely informed, but, at the same time, he expresses with good right his astonishment at the measures taken by the government of the United States, which, receiving news of this affair from Tabasco, immediately sent to the place a ship-of-war to obtain intelligence. Although this vessel may not have received the order, the government of the Emperor is pleased to believe, to take any action in the case had Mr. Mansfield been in fact arrested, its envoy does not explain at all, by the wish to make a simple inquiry, and it assumes, therefore, in appearance at least, the character of a certain minatory pressure, which is without any justification in the incident itself, or in the nature of the relations of the government of the Emperor with that of the United States.

Accept, sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

L. DE GEOFROY.

Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.