Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the First Session Thirty-ninth Congress, Part II

Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward.

No. 49.]

[Legation of the United States, Paris, March 10, 1865.

Sir: Referring to your despatch, No. 43, relative to the removal of one hundred barrels of blasting powder from the United States schooner William L. Richard son, at La Paz, by the commander of a French vessel-of-war, I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter on the subject, which I placed in the hands of his excellency the minister of foreign affairs to-day. As the statement of Captain Goodwin is on the files of the State Department, I omit it here.

I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,

JOHN BIGELOW.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys

Legation oF the United States, Paris, March 9, 1865.

Sir: It appears from information which has reached my government from F. B. Elmer, United States consul at La Pag, in Mexico, that the United States schooner William L. Richardson was arrested on her voyage from San Francisco to the mouth of the Colorado river on the 30th of October last, and one hundred kegs of blasting powder taken from her hold, by the commander of the French war steamer Diamant, under circumstances which, if correctly reported to us. cannot, I am persuaded, receive the approval of the Emperor’s, government

The powder is represented to have been consigned to Paul Hillen, at Tucson, in Arizona Territory, for mining purposes. It was on board a vessel belonging to a line contracted for to ply between San Francisco, La Paz, Bajir, and the station near the mouth of the Rio Colorado, whence passengers and freight are embarked for Fort Yuma and points beyond in the Territory of Arizona.

The facts, as understood by my government, are fully set forth in the annexed statement, made and sworn to by Captain Goodwin, -the master of the William L. Richardson, before the United States consul at La Paz, on the 2d day of. November last.

While the United States government is not disposed to contest the belligerent right of France to prevent contraband of war from reaching Mexico during the existing hostilities, it assumes that the Emperor’s government will be equally indisposed to interfere with perfect free trade in all communities between the several ports of the United States.

I have, therefore, to request your excellency to inform me whether the Emperor’s government is in possession of any information conflicting with the statement of Captain Goodwin which would invalidate a claim by our government on his behalf for indemnity for the value of the powder taken from his ship and for her detention at La Paz.

I beg to renew to your excellency the assurances of the very distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your excellency’s very obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN BIGELOW.

His Excellency Mr. Drouyn de Lhüys, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paris.