Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
No. 118.]
Legation of the United States,
Paris,
June 15, 1865.
Sir: In pursuance of your instructions I
availed myself of an opportunity to speak with the minister of foreign
affairs in reference to the rejection, by the minister of agriculture,
commerce, and public works, of the application made by Mr. Zumpstein, on
behalf of the American Emigration Company, for leave to enter into
certain engagements with emigrants for their transport from Havre to the
United States. His excellency expressed some surprise that such an
application had been denied, and requested me to send him the letter
from Mr. Zumpstein, which I communicated to the minister of agriculture,
commerce, and public works, in March last, a copy of which may be found
in my despatch No. 60.
I promptly sent to the foreign office a copy of Mr. Zumpstein’s
communication, with a note, of which enclosure No. 1 is a copy.
On the 14th instant I received a note from Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys, of which
enclosure No. 2 is a copy, removing all obstacles to the operations of
the American Emigration Company of a serious character.
I propose to communicate a copy of the reply of Monsieur Drouyn de Lhuys
to Mr. Zumpstein without delay.
If Mr. Zumpstein were instructed to keep me advised of what he is doing,
from time to time, I think it would be advantageous both to the company
and to the government.
I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.
[Enclosure No. 1.]
Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys.
Legation of the United
States, Paris,
May 12, 1865.
Sir: In compliance with your excellency’s
request, I hasten to transmit a copy of the note of Mr. Zumpstein,
agent for France of the American Emigrant Company, to his excellency
the minister of agriculture, commerce and public works, which formed
one of the subjects of our conversation yesterday.
If the motives for refusing Mr. Zumpstein’s application were of a
nature to be modified by any explanation as to the character and
objects of the company which I might be able to make, I should be
happy to wait upon your excellency for that purpose, at your
excellency’s convenience.
I profit by this occasion to renew to your excellency assurances of
the very high consideration with which I am your very obedient and
very humble servant,
His Excellency Monsieur Drouyn de
Lhuys.
[Page 327]
[Enclosure No.
2.—Translation.]
Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys to Mr. Bigelow.
Sir: After the interview at which you had
expressed to me the wish that the American company called the
American Emigrant Company should be authorized to undertake, in
France, operations for the engagement and transportation of
emigrants, you did me the honor to communicate to me on the 14th of
last month a letter from Mr. Zumpstein, the agent of that company in
Havre, requesting you to inform the French government, if necessary,
upon the nature of the enterprise, and the guarantees which it
presents.
The minister of commerce and of the interior, to whom I hastened to
transmit the request of the American Emigrant Company, recommending
it to their particular consideration, and pointing out to them the
support which you would give to it, have deemed it susceptible of
being favorably received, and it is pleasing to me to be enabled to
announce to you, sir, that the minister of agriculture, commerce,
and public works has, on the eighth of this month, in concert with
the minister of the interior, issued an order which authorizes Mr.
Zumpstein to undertake in Havre operations for the engagement and
transportation of emigrants. The amount of the security to be given,
agreeably to the decree of March 7, 1861, is fixed at 40,000 francs,
and the French government accepts the surety presented by Mr.
Zumpstein.
While charging the prefect of the Lower Seine with the execution of
the order of the 8th of June, Mr. Behic has given him instructions
in this sense.
Receive, sir, the assurances of the high consideration with which I
have the honor to be, sir, your very humble and very obedient
servant,
Mr. Blgelow, Minister
of the United States, Paris.
