Office of the Historian

No. 145.
Mr. Bayard to Mr. McLane.

Department of State,
Washington, July 12, 1886.
No. 142.]

Sir: With reference to my instruction No. 67, of the 13th of January last, concerning the alleged proceedings of Lieutenant Aroux, commanding a gunboat of the French navy in negotiating treaties with the chiefs of native tribes within Liberian territory, I now inclose herewith for your information a copy of a dispatch from our minister at Monrovia in relation to the subject. As this Government is deeply interested [Page 305] in preserving the territorial integrity of Liberia, it has learned with much concern that French officers have recently been carrying on intrigues with tribes within the long established and universally recognized boundaries of the Liberian Republic, and treating with said tribes as independent.

Confirming my above-mentioned instructions of the 13th of January last, I have to request you to avail yourself of an early opportunity to bring the subject to the attention of the minister of foreign affairs, with a view to ascertain whether or not the proceedings of Lieutenant Aroux and Captain Dumont are sanctioned by the French Government.

I am, &c.,

T. F. BAYARD.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 142.]

Mr. Hopkins to Mr. Bayard.

Legation of the United States,
Monrovia, March 18, 1886. (Received July 7.)
No. 12.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 3, and also your dispatch No. 4, inclosing for my information a copy of a letter of an instruction recently addressed by you to the United States minister at Paris, directing him to make discreet inquiry upon the subject with reference to the action of the French commandant, P. Aroux, respecting a part of the southeast boundary of Liberia.

I now have the honor to inform you that the French man-of-war Voltigeur, E. Dumont commandant, entered Mesurado Roads on the 25th. * * *

I would also call the attention of the Department of State to the fact that when Liberia became an independent state, the Colonization Society reserved the absolute control of every other square mile of this Republic for emigrants from the United States. So one-half of this Republic belongs to American citizens.

I have, &c.,

MOSES A. HOPKINS.