Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the Documens Diplomatiques communicated to the corps legislatif on Monday, the 29th instant. You will learn from a note on the first page that it was originally intended, and so Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys stated to me this day week, to defer the publication of the correspondence relating to Mexico until the pending negotiations upon that subject should reach maturity. A subsequent note, at page 174, states that, in consequence of the communication to Congress of correspondence upon this subject by the President of the United States, it was thought best to withhold it no longer from the corps legislatif. The despatch on page 216 is in reply to your note addressed to the Marquis de Montholon, bearing date the 6th of December last, and gives an official version of the proposal which I had the honor to transmit to you In my despatch No. 240, of. the 11th ultimo. I also invite your attention to the communication on page 223, addressed by Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys to the Marquis de Montholon, in reference to a note addressed by me to the former on the 16th ultimo. It is true that Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys did say, in conversation with me, laughingly, that he could have replied to me, [Page 810] if disposed, that France had not “planted” any political organization in Mexico, and that he did not believe Maximilian’s decrees in reference to emigration contemplated any such purposes or results as I attributed to them, but he left me to understand that he did not think it worth while to write about it. I concluded that if he did not think it of consequence enough to answer in writing, he did not care to have a record made of his remarks. This will explain why you first hear of this conversation through a letter to the Marquis de Montholon.
I also send by the bag to-night a bundle of journals showing the impression left upon the public mind here by the appearance of this correspondence, and of that submitted to Congress by the President. It is easy to perceive that these publications have not been grateful to the government.
I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.