Elihu B. Washburne to Count de Bismarck, January 2, 1871

Mr. E. B. Washburne to Count de Bismarck

Sir: I beg leave to thank you for sending my dispatch-bag at an earlier period than heretofore. I am enabled thus to answer the dispatches of my Government to go out by the courier tomorrow morning, I should be very glad if they could arrive in London by Friday, so as to go by the Saturday steamer. I duly received the London journals, and it is unnecessary to say that their contents have been most strictly guarded. I think there must have been some misapprehension in London in regard to my private letters. Mr. Moran, our chargé d’affaires, writes me that he was not permitted to send me any letters, except from my wife, who is now at Brussels. The consequence is that private letters to me from the United States minister at Brussels; from my son, who is in college in the United States; another son, who is at school in London, as well as a great many letters from my personal and political friends at home, have been detained, and are now at London. As the greater includes the less, I suppose that, after you had kindly conceded to me the journals containing military and political information, there would be no objection to my receiving my private correspondence having probably no reference to such matters, but if containing any information, it would be equally guarded with information I obtain from the journals. If such should be your understanding, I would be very glad if you would so telegraph to London, so my letters can come to me by the bag which leaves London next Friday. I should hope by the following Wednesday to receive them.

I have the honor, &c.,