Mr. Wood to Mr. Seward
Sir: The director general of the minister for foreign affairs, Mr. Vedel, has just called to say that the police have written assurances that the sailors enlisted here were for the merchant service in Mechlenburg. I had just received your despatch No. 107 of the 24th March, ultimo, and which I read to him as well as the material parts of despatch No. 106, and which I was prevented from reading to the minister on conference day, that day (Thursday as well as Friday) being a holiday. Do not these despatches rather conflict, at least in tone? The director general informed me that the government, immediately on my request, instructed Captain Fobby, the Danish minister at Madrid, to put himself in communication with the American chargé d’affaires and to act in concert with him with the Spanish government. The Danish government early informed the French that the Olinde, or Staerkodder, now the Stonewall, never belonged to the Danish government. You do not seem to have received my despatch No. 183, of the 14th February last, in which, after giving you a history of the affair of the ship as I then understood it, I expressed my belief that the whole matter looked like a French trick on the part of Arman, and in which he was assisted by Puggard the Dane. As this was some thirteen days before the date of Mr. Hansen’s letter, I must confess I do not understand the delay.
I remain, &c., your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.