Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward, July 18, 1861

Mr. Sanford to Mr.
Seward.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your despatches Nos. 9, 10, and 11, under dates of the 20th
and 22d respectively.

I have as yet received no reply from M. De Vrière to my note to him of
the 5th ultimo, on the subject of our adhesion to the declaration of the
congress of Paris. I referred to it a few days since on the occasion of
a visit to the foreign office, and was told that my proposition had been
communicated to the French government, and that communication had been
made by it to this government of the main points of the note addressed
by M. Thouvenel to M. Mercier in the month of May upon this subject of
neutral rights. I inferred from this that they were awaiting the result
of the communications made to you by the French and English governments
through their ministers at Washington.

I will take an early opportunity to bring the subject again to the
attention of the minister.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient
servant,