Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
Sir: The Moniteur of yesterday morning announced that, as a sequence to communications exchanged between “M. Dana, minister of France, his excellency Marshal Bazaine, and the Mexican government, the Emperor has decided that the French troops shall evacuate Mexico in three detachments; the first to leave in November, 1866, the second in March, 1867, and the third in November, 1867.”
At M. Drouyn de Lhuys’ reception yesterday afternoon, I remarked that I supposed the paragraph in the Moniteur might be regarded as an official statement of the result of Baron Salliard’s mission. He said it might, and then added that it was substantially what he had prefigured to me in our conversation last fall. He went on to say that the seasons for the debarking of the troops were selected from climatic and sanitary considerations.
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I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.