Anson Burlingame to Colonel L. de Balluzeck, June 2, 1863

Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Balluzeck

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of June 1, informing me that you are about to take your departure from your diplomatic post, and that Mr. de Glinka will, as chargé d’affaires, remain as your successor. I assure you, my dear colleague, that I learn of your departure with regret.

Deeply moved by the struggle for liberty in my own country, it was natural, when I came here, that I should eagerly seek for companionship the representative of that power which has, by its sincere and persistent friendship, entitled itself to the first gratitude of every American. I found what I expected in the representative of the Russian empire, and more. I found a man deeply appreciative of the cause of our struggle, and with stong desire for its removal.

With rare capacity you traced the sympathy of our great nations to the fact that, at the same time, in different ways, they are moving for the freedom of our fellow-men. My elder in this difficult diplomatic field, I have ever found you a safe adviser; I cannot recall one question upon which we have differed. It has been our good fortune, largely through your influence, to witness a union of the treaty powers in the interest of civilization in the East.

In the presence of an open and fair policy, these powers have disavowed any purpose of seeking special privileges, and have united in a policy which secures the territorial integrity of the Chinese empire. Of our personal relations I need not write. They have been unusually intimate, and to me most gratifying; and I reciprocate most warmly the hope you express, that our personal may not end with our official relations. I have, &c.,