Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
Sir: I profited by an opportunity which presented itself to-day at the reception of the minister of foreign affairs to recall what his excellency had said at our last interview about the gradual withdrawal of the French army from Mexico, for the purpose of mentioning a report which had reached me from our consul in Egypt, that six hundred of the Pacha’s subjects of the Soudan were daily expected to embark for Mexico to re-enforce the invading army. I remarked that such a report was likely to provoke comment, and therefore I felt a desire to know, if he was disposed to tell me, how much foundation it had in truth. Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys said that he believed there were some troops raised some time ago in Egypt; he did not know how many, but he gave me the impression that he was not aware of anything on the way at this moment. Their capacity to resist the diseases of the Mexican coast led the government to look in that quarter for soldiers to garrison the unhealthy regions of Mexico. But he went on to add, that whatever may be the number of troops gone or going from Egypt to Mexico, what he had said about the actual reduction of the French army in Mexico was none the less true. Since seeing me, he had taken pains to verify in the proper quarter what he had stated to me as his conviction. The reduction, he added, would go on as fast as possible, for the Emperor was very anxious to get out of the country. How fast they could reduce, he said, would depend a great deal upon the United States. It was their wish to retire as soon as they could leave their interests in Mexico properly protected.
I said that his excellency surely could not have expected our government to [Page 417] go further than it had already gone to show its forbearance, or words to that effect. “No,” he replied; “my last letters from Mr. Montholon are very satisfactory. So much so, that I sent a line yesterday to the Emperor on the subject.” I told him, in substance, that he ought by this time to feel satisfied that our government had no disposition unnecessarily to embarrass the government of the Emperor.
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I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.