No. 31.
Mr. Davis to Mr. E. B. Washburne.
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About an hour after the receipt of your dispatch No. 266, Baron Alvensleben (who is, in the absence of Baron Gerolt, in charge of North German interests in Washington) called at the Department, and I took the opportunity to read the dispatch to him at length. He expressed, in the strongest terms, his satisfaction at what had been done. As soon as copies can be made they will be sent to the North German legation for transmission to Berlin.
I infer, from two allusions to my telegram of the 16th ultimo and my subsequent telegram of the 17th ultimo, that you have misapprehended my purpose in the second telegram.
It was my purpose in the first telegram, not only to give instructions as to the representations to be made in regard to the expulsion of the Germans, ordered by the new ministry, but also to approve the excellent letter, then just received, which you had written to the Duke de Gramont, (of the old ministry,) upon the obstacles which he proposed to throw in the way of the departure of the Germans. In preparing the telegram the word expulsion was improperly used with reference to the latter subject. The second telegram was intended to correct that mistake.
I also inclose herein copies of all the other telegrams received at the Department from you, or transmitted hence to you, since the date of the last transmission.