Mr. Seward to Mr. Fogg.
Sir:You two late despatches, No. 58, of the 16th ultimo, and No. 59, of the 29th ultimo, have been received, and the President instructs me to express his satisfaction at the assurance given you by the Swiss government of their readiness to so far modify their present treaty stipulations with the United States as to concede and guaranty general and equal rights and protection to all citizens of the United States, without distinction of religious creed, travelling, sojourning, or doing business in Switzerland. The additional article, however, which has been proposed by Mr. Dubs, the president of the confederation, stipulating that βthe United States will accord to Swiss citizens sojourning in those countries of America where Switzerland may have no representative the same protection upon demand, by the consuls of the United States, as is accorded to their own citizens,β is not deemed admissable. You may state to Mr. Dubs that the United States will cheerfully lend their good offices towards securing protection for Swiss citizens under the circumstances referred to, but that the assumption of such an obligation as he proposes would be a departure from the line of proceeding hitherto pursued by this government in its conventional arrangements with foreign powers which it would not feel justified in making.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
George G. Fogg, Esq., &c., &c., &c., Berne.