Mr. Motley to Mr. Seward
No. 177.]
United States Legation, Vienna,
May 21, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to state that I have
just received a note from Count Mensdorff, in answer to my note of
date May 6, a copy of which was forwarded with my despatch No. 170,
of date May 8.
I have prepared a careful translation of the minister’s note, which,
together with a copy of the original, I transmit with this
despatch.
I cannot doubt that both the contents and friendly spirit of this
communication from the imperial royal government will give sincere
satisfaction to the United States government.
I have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
[Translation.]
Count Mensdorff to Mr. Motley
Ministry of the Imperial
House and of Foreign Affairs, Vienna,
May 20,
1866.
The undersigned, minister of the imperial house and of foreign
affairs, has had the honor to receive the note which the Hon.
Mr. Lothrop Motley, envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of the United States of North America, addressed
to him on the 6th of the current month, in which expression is
given to the representations which his government has seen
itself called upon to make in regard to the volunteers enlisted
in the Austrian states for military service in Mexico.
The undersigned has already had repeated occasions to give verbal
explanations to the envoy of the United States concerning the
nature and extent of the enrolments in question which have taken
place in very limited measures, both as to numbers and period of
enlistment—explanations which were intended to remove every
doubt which could have arisen in the eyes of the government of
the United States in regard to the intentions of Austria in this
matter. As, however, it appears from the latest communications
of the envoy that the said explanations have not hitherto had
the effect to entirely tranquillize the North American
government in this respect; as that government feels obliged to
see in the enlistments in question an exertion of influence on
the part of Austria in the internal affairs of Mexico which
might become a motive for the United States to come out of the
neutral position which it has hitherto maintained in regard to
those affairs; as, finally, according to the observation
contained in the note of Mr. Lothrop Motley, the exertion of an
influence of the above-mentioned character would be regarded as
well by the government as by public opinion in the United States
as an unfriendly proceeding towards them, which would be
entirely out of harmony with the intentions of the imperial
government, the undersigned finds himself in the position,
without, therefore, being able to agree with all the views
developed in the many-times cited note, to make known to the
envoy that, in consideration of all the above-mentioned
circumstances, the necessary measures have been taken to prevent
the departure of the volunteers lately enlisted for Mexico.
[Page 846]
In the confident expectation that the cabinet at Washington will
feel itself on this account the more induced to allow no change
to take place in the neutral position hitherto maintained by it
towards Mexico, and that the government of the United States
will recognize in this proceeding of the imperial cabinet a new
proof of its sincere wish to remove everything that might be
capable of exercising a prejudicial influence upon the relations
between the two countries, the undersigned makes use of this
occasion to renew to the honorable Mr. Lothrop Motley the
assurance of his high and distinguished consideration.
Mr. Lothrop Motley, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary, U. S. A.
