Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton, February 20, 1863

Mr. Seward to Mr.
Dayton

Sir: You will probably have noticed that a bill
has passed the Senate conferring upon the President the power to issue
letters of marque and reprisal in any war in which this country may at
any time be engaged. It is expected that the bill will become a law. It
is not unlikely, in that event, that the measure may possibly be
misapprehended abroad. Should this prove to be the case at Paris, and
explanations in regard to it should be asked of you, or in your judgment
be likely to prove useful, you may say that, as the bill stands, the
executive government will be left at liberty to put the law in force in
its discretion, and that thus far the proper policy in regard to the
exercise of that discretion has not engaged the President’s attention.
If no extreme circumstances shall exist when it may become expedient to
put the act in force against the insurgents, every proper effort will be
made to prevent surprise on the part of friendly nations, whose commerce
and navigation it might be feared would be incidentally and indirectly
affected.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,