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

Mr. Seward to Mr. Bigelow

No. 263]

Department of State, Washington, September 13, 1865.

Sir: I transmit a copy of a correspondence between this department and the minister of France, in regard to the case of the United States merchant steamer Sonora, now in the port of Tampico, in the hands of insurgents, and the restoration of which to her proper owner, Mr. F. Clavel, of New Orleans, is sought by this government.^* I also transmit a copy of a despatch of the 24th of June last, No. 24, from Franklin Chase, esq., United States consul general at Tampico.

You will be pleased to lay the facts of the case before the imperial government, and to request that French agents at Tampico may be instructed to do what they properly can towards enabling Mr. Clavel to recover his property.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

John Bigelow, Esq, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Chase to Mr. Hunter

No. 24.]

United States Consulate General, Tampico, June 27, 1865.

Sir I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of the correspondence passed between this consulate and the prefecto politico of this district, in relation to the steamer Sonora, to which I beg to invite your attention.

The steamer Granite City, foerly belonging to our navy, which came into this port as a blockade runner, late in the month of March last, under the name of Three Marys, displaying the secession flag, is still in this port; also the steamer Jeannette, under British colors. These three vessels are the last of the arrivals from the coast of Texas.

Presuming that the movements of the Granite City might be of interest to our government, I reported her presence here to the honorable the Secretary of the Navy, in my despatches to that functionary, dated respectively 10th and 17th ultimo.

The feeling in this place is still so much in favor of the late southern insurrection, that I have but little or no hopes of anything favorable resulting from my interference in the case of the Sonora, and I would respectfully suggest that a vessel-of-war should be sent here forthwith, to demand her immediate restoration to her owner.

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

FRANKLIN CHASE.

Hon. William Hunter, Acting Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

No. 1.

Mr. Chase to the Prefecto Politico

United States Consulate General, Tampico, June 20, 1865.

Sir: I have the honor to acquaint you that the steamer which arrived in this port on the 12th instant, from the coast of Texas, under the assumption of British nationality, is in reality the American steamer Sonora, belonging to Felix Clavel, esq., of the city of New Orleans, where she was duly and properly documented; but while in the prosecution of a legal trading voyage from New Orleans to Matamoras, she was unlawfully captured when at anchor in the waters of Brazos, by a boat with a crew of armed men, who overpowered the captain and crew, and escaped with her to the coast of Texas, then in possession of the so called confederate forces.

As a matter of duty to investigate still further the character of the steamer in question, I have hard an interview with Frederick Johnson, esq., her Britannic Majesty’s consul at this port, upon this subject, who informs me that she is not entitled to the protection of his government, and that he has warned the captain of the consequences of making a false use of the flag of his country.

Although not officially, still I am credibly informed that all the so called confederate forces west of the Mississippi, under the command of General Kirby Smith, were surrendered by that chief to Major General Canby, of the federal forces, on the 26th day of May last, thus giving the final blow to that insurrection which for a length of time had been so disastrous to the United States. I mention this circumstance to show that while in the confusion of the reoccupation of the ports of Texas by the federal forces the Sonora escaped, with a few bales of cotton, which have been landed in this port; consequently she did not depart from a port held in armed rebellion against the United States, because the whole State of Texas, by virtue of the above-mentioned surrender, has again come under the laws and the government of the said United States, and thus her departure therefrom cannot now be considered as from an enemy’s port to any party or power. Hence the time seems to have arrived when those privileges which have been granted by foreign powers to a forced trade with the enemies of the United States have no further existence.

Under these circumstances, I beg to express the hope that your honor will be pleased to consider it an act of justice to detain the Sonora until her legitimate owner can have time to appear here, or to produce documentary evidence in reclamation of his property thus unlawfully wrested from him.

I improve this occasion to renew to your honor the assurances of my distinguished consideration and particular respect.

FRANKLIN CHASE.

Hon. Jesus de la Serna, Prefecto Politico, &c, &c., &c., of the Southern District of Tamaulipas.

No. 2.]

[Translation.]

Mexican Empire, Political Prefecture of the District South of Tamaulipas, Tampico, June 23, 1865.

Mr. Consul: The business relating to the steamer Sonora, of which you treat in your esteemed note dated 21st instant, has been transferred to the court of first instance of this district, that it may proceed in what may be needful pertaining to its exclusive jurisdiction, reserving to myself to send you the result when the judicial authority may determine what it considers to be proper.

The occasion, Mr. Consul, offers me that of protesting to you my distinguished consideration and esteem.

JESUS DE LA SERNA, The Political Prefect ad interim.

P. S. Garcia, Secretary. Consul General of the U. S. of America at this port, Present.

1. This enclosure appears in correspondence with the French legation.