Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
My Dear Sir: Your telegram, dated 23d November, from Washington, was received on the 26th and 27th instant. I immediately addressed a communication to the minister of foreign affairs, who is at Compeïgne, and last evening received a note acknowledging it and saying that he reserved his reply. After a brief interview with Mr. Bouher, minister of state, this morning, at his request, I sent another note to the minister of foreign affairs, requesting, in view of the urgency of the matter, an explanation of the Emperor’s motives for deferring the partial evacuation of Mexico, and a statement of his plan and preparations for the execution of the stipulation of Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys, in advance of his more deliberate reply to my first communication. I hope to have that to-morrow. The government as yet has no news from Castelnau, which will be due to-night or to-morrow; neither does it know what has become of Maximilian. The papers to-day announce the occupation of Matamoras by the federals. Mr. Bouher assures me that the vessels are all ready and waiting a despatch from Castelnau to start for Vera Cruz, and they expect to have their whole force here by March at the latest. The minister of marine says they must leave here within fifteen days on account of the fever.
Yours, very faithfully,
Hon. William H. Seward. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.