Drouyn de Lhuys to Bigelow, March 27, 1866

Mr. De Lhuys to Mr. Bigelow

Sir: I have just received from the minister of the interior communication of a pamphlet which the consul of the United States at Marseilles has recently addressed to the senator charged with the administration of the “Bouches du Rhone,” and which is entitled “Laws for encouraging emigration, for the protection of passengers,” &c. The consul of the United States at Marseilles has, at the same time, inquired of Mr. Maupas whether there was anything which would hinder him, in conformity with the desire of his government, from making free distribution of this pamphlet in places, dependencies of his consulate.

I need not point out to you, sir, the irregularity of the step taken in this matter by the consul of the United States at Marseilles. It is, in fact, through the medium of your legation and my department that his request should have reached the department of the interior, and it is in order to avoid departure from diplomatic usages that the Marquis De Lavalette begs me to bring to your knowledge the course of which this business has seemed to him to be susceptible.

As to what concerns the purpose itself of the communication of the consul of the United States at Marseilles, the minister of the interior, after having examined the pamphlet remitted to Mr. Maupas, as well as the manuscript analysis accompanying it, found that there would be inconveniences in authorizing the distribution through the departments of the empire of documents which, like those, present the character of an appeal in favor of emigration. The French administration has always been opposed to the sending of addresses among the native-born operatives; besides, in deviating now from this line of conduct in favor of an undertaking of emigration to the United States, it would create a precedent of which emigration agencies belonging to other nationalities might avail themselves. The minister of the interior adds, that as a consequence of the authorization which might be given for the circulation of the pamphlet in question, this distribution would be carried out under the cloak of an administrative stamping, and it would be to be feared that emigrants, misapprehending the significance of this formality, might see in it a sort of guarantee of the advantages which should be offered to them.

For these reasons the Marquis De Lavalette does not think he could authorize the senator charged with the administration of the Bouches du Rhone to accede to the request of the consul of the United States at Marseilles.

Receive, sir, the assurances of the high consideration with which I have the honor to be, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant,