Mr. Seward to Mr.
Burlingame
No. 65]
Department of State,
Washington,
June 27, 1864.
Sir: Referring to your despatch of the 5th of
January last, No. 62, relative to your proceedings in securing the
recognition of the Chinese government of the rights of Sweden, under a
treaty negotiated at Canton in 1847, I transmit herewith a copy of a
note of the 21st instant, addressed to this department by Count Edward
Piper, the minister of Sweden, conveying the acknowledgments of his
government to that of the United States for your good offices above
mentioned.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Anson Burlingame, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Translation.]
Count Piper to Mr. Seward
Washington,
June 21, 1864.
Mr. Secretary: I hastened at once to acquit
myself of the agreeable duty of imparting to my government the
communication in which, under date of 20th April last, your
excellency had the goodness to inform me of the successful
[Page 436]
efforts of Mr. Burlingame,
minister of the United States in China, to cause the recognition of
the validity and executory force of the treaty which we had
concluded in 1847 with China.
The King’s government, having been already informed thereof by his
Majesty’s consul at Canton, who has received orders to express to
Mr. Burlingame all the thankfulness which the King’s government has
felt for the good offices which the representative of a government
with which such excellent relations subsist has willingly rendered
to the United Kingdoms, has not been less gratified in learning,
through the obliging intervention of your excellency, the manner in
which the distinguished minister of the United States in China has
served our interests.
Having received orders to be to yon, Mr. Secretary, the organ of
these sentiments, it is my cherished duty to express how much my
government is gratified in testifying to that of the United States
the special value which it attaches to this, and that its
gratification would be still increased if the cabinet of Washington
would please to make known to its distinguished representative in
China that very special thanks have reached it for the friendly aid
which Mr. Burlingame has lent, in a manner as generous as
disinterested, to a power whose distance has not until now permitted
it to watch over its interests in China as actively as it has the
desire to do, and that it has seen with satisfaction the
representative of a friendly power actively in its favor.
I embrace with eagerness this occasion to offer to you, Mr.
Secretary, the renewed assurances of my high consideration.
His Excellency William H. Seward,
Secretary of State of the United States,
&c., &c., &c.
