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

Mr. Seward to Mr. Geofroy

Department of State, Washington July 9, 1864.

Sir: With reference to the memorandum, without date, which was received at this department from his Imperial Majesty’s legation, and which related, among other things, to a trade in articles contraband of war between Brownsville and Matamoras, and with reference also to my reply of the 21st ultimo, I now have the honor to enclose, in further reply, a copy of a communication of the 8th instant from the Secretary of the Treasury, from which it appears that you have been misinformed.

Accept, sir, a renewed assurance of my high consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Mr. L. De Geofroy.

Mr. Fessenden to Mr. Seward

Treasury Department, July 8, 1864.

Sir: Your communication of May 28, enclosing translation of a memorandum from Mr. L. de Geofroy, chargé d’affaires of France, relative to “an alleged trade in articles contraband of war with Mexico, through the port of Brownsville, Texas,” was duly received and referred to the officers of this department at Brownsville for report.

I now have the honor to transmit copy of the reports of the acting collector of the customs at Brownsville and the assistant special agent for the district of Texas.

Very respectfully,

W. P. FESSENDEN, Secretary of the Treasury.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Chase

Treasury Department, Washington, June 2, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 1st, enclosing a communication from the Hon. Secretary of State, together with the memorandum from the chargé d’affaires of France.

I left Brownsville, Texas, about the 7th ultimo. Up to that time no goods contraband of war had been sent into Mexico or sold to the agents of the Mexican government.

I do not know of a single article contraband of war having come to the port of Brazos de Santiago, and feel sure that trade in contraband goods could not exist, even to a very limited extent, without my knowledge.

Respectfully, &c.,

G. W. BRECKINRIDGE, Assistant Special Agent.

Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Worthington to Mr. Chase

Treasury Department, June 26, 1864.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of communication dated May 28, Department of State, enclosing a memorandum from the French chargè d’affaires concerning a trade in munitions of war alleged to be carried on between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoras, Mexico.

In reply to the surmise, I have only to report that till the last of May I was daily and constantly at Brownsville, in charge of the custom-house affairs, and I am certain that no such trade existed; in fact, the sole trade we had was with New Orleans, a city itself under martial law, and from whence no such supplies could be drawn.

As for the connivance of the collector of the customs, it is useless to refute, as he has no discretionary powers in such matters. Should munitions of war arrive at the port of Brazos de Santiago, they will come under the authority of the proper authorities; should they not have those authorizations they would, of course, be seized as contraband.

As regards the loading of a vessel or vessels near Boston with munitions for Mexico, I know nothing, nor have I ever heard of such a scheme.

I would also beg leave to refer you to the monthly reports of exports and imports, which show all the business of that department, to see how fallacious are any such reports.

With the most high respect, &c.,

CHARLES WORTHINGTON, Special Agent and Acting Collector.

Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury.