Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
No. 154.]
Legation of the United States,
Paris,
August 5, 1865.
Sir: Referring to your despatch No. 192, I have
the honor to transmit herewith, in three enclosures, copies of a letter
upon the subject-matter of that despatch addressed by me to his
excellency the minister of foreign affairs on the 26th ultimo, and a
copy and translation of his reply received yesterday.
I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.
[Page 410]
[Enclosure No. 1.]
Mr. Bigelow to Mr. M. Drouyn de Lhuys.
Legation of the United
States,
Paris, July 26, 1865.
Sir: Referring to a conversation which I
had the honor to hold with your excellency on the 6th instant, in
reference to the delivery of cannon and other munitions of war by
some of the rebel commanders in Texas to the Mexican general
commanding at Matamoras, and referring also to the very satisfactory
communication which I had the honor subsequently, to receive from
the Emperor’s government upon the subject, it becomes my duty to
invite your excellency’s attention to the following supplementary
representations.
Authentic information has reached my government that most of the
rebel leaders of military rank in Texas, including Generals Smith,
Magruder, Shelby, Slaughter, and Walker, together with numerous
large and small bands of rebel soldiers and citizens, amounting to
two thousand in number, crossed the Rio Grande and found asylum in
Mexico after the capitulation of the insurgent commander; that
everything on wheels, artillery, horses, mules, in fact all the
public property that could be moved, were also carried over the
border after the capitulation, but before the United States forces
could occupy the country; that among other things thus carried away,
of which information has reached me since I had the honor of
bringing these border difficulties to your excellency’s attention,
was the steamer “Lucy Given,” or “Gwin,” which was surrendered at
Matagorda and is now anchored at Bagdad, on the Rio Grande; and some
850 bales of cotton which were included in the capitulation and
stored at Rio Grande City.
I regret to add that it is the impression of the federal general
commanding that division of our army that persons calling themselves
the representatives of the imperial government of Mexico have
encouraged this extensive plunder of property belonging to the
United States government, and also that the French officers in that
vicinity have incurred the reproach of being very unfriendly and
offensive in their bearing towards the citizens of the United States
at Brownsville.
I hasten to bring these facts to your excellency’s attention, in
order, first, that the directions given by his excellency the
minister of war, referred to in his communication to your excellency
bearing date July 1st, may be extended, if not sufficiently
comprehensive already, so as to insure the prompt restoration of the
steamer “Lucy Given,” or “Gwin,” the 850 bales of cotton taken from
Rio Grande City, as well as the artillery, carriages, horses, mules,
&c., previously taken away by the rebels and their abettors;
and, secondly, that all persons under the control of the Emperor’s
government may be instructed to avoid, as much as possible, a
language or demeanor calculated to aggravate the difficulties of
preserving peace on a frontier at the confluence of so many
irritating influences. Animated by the spirt with which it is hoped
this request will be received, my government has issued renewed
instructions to the general commanding the United States military
forces in Texas “to permit no aggressive movements of troops under
his command within Mexican territory, unless under special
instructions to that effect from the War Department, which shall be
rendered necessary by a condition of affairs not now
anticipated.”
I pray your excellency to accept assurances of the high consideration
with which I have the honor to be,
Your excellency’s very obedient and very humble servant,
His Excellency Monsieur Drouyn de
Lhuys, Minister of Foreign
Affairs.
[Enclosure No.
3.—Translation.]
Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys to Mr. Bigelow.
Sir: I have received the note which you did
me the honor to address to me on the 26th ultimo, concerning certain
facts said to have occurred on the frontiers of Texas and Mexico,
and to be of a nature to attract the attention of the government of
the Emperor.
You recall on this occasion the communications which passed between
us in reference to a similar incident, namely, the delivery of the
artillery of Brownsville to the authorities at Matamoras.
Information recently received in France, and which was reproduced in
the newspapers, has made known to us the satisfactory solution given
to that affair. Before our instructions,
recommending the restoration of this property to the federal
authorities, had time to reach Mexico, General Mejia had, of his own
accord, ordered its surrender to the commander at Brownsville. This
voluntary decision shows dispositions which, I doubt not, will be
appreciated by the cabinet at Washington. The same information
states, moreover, that
[Page 411]
the
most friendly relations had been established between the military
commanders of the United States and of Mexico in that part of the
frontiers of the two countries.
You do me the honor to mention to me, in your communication of July
26, the passing over into the Mexican territory of a certain number
of confederate generals, who, with some two thousand persons,
soldiers, and others, are said to have, after the capitulation,
crossed the Rio Grande, taking with them their artillery, horses,
mules, &c., all of which were the property of the federal
government.
I am not yet in a position to offer you any explanations on this
point; but, from what we know of the views of the Mexican
government, those proceedings would be entirely contrary to its
intentions.
As for the steamer Lucy Given, or Gwin, and the 850 bales of cotton
included in the capitulation, which are said to have been
transferred to Mexican territory, I am also obliged to wait, before
answering your demand, for the information which I have asked, both
from the French military authorities and from the government of
Mexico.
Accept assurances of the high consideration with which I have the
honor to be, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant,
Mr. Bigelow, Minister
of the United States, &c., &c., &c.,
Paris.
