Thouvenel to H. Mercier, March 13, 1862

Mr. Thouvenel to Mr. Mercier.

Sir: I think it proper to send you a copy of a despatch which I have just received from our agent at Tangier, with respect to an affair which has caused an excitement in that city which may be readily accounted for. Two Americans, belonging to the southern States of the Union, who had taken passage at Gibraltar on board the French packet-boat called La Ville de Malaga, bound to Cadiz, having landed at Tangier, were there, upon the requisition of the consul of the United States, arrested by the Moorish force, put in irons, and embarked on board a sloop-of-war sent for by Mr. De Long. You will see, sir, what impression this act caused among the foreign colony. The violent language and the threats of the American consul alone have induced the local authority to lend him to the end their co-operation, and, if the other foreign agents had not occupied themselves in pacifying their fellow countrymen, that incident might have led to unpleasant consequences for the consulate of the United States. The cabinet of Washington would not, without doubt, approve the conduct pursued on this occasion by its representative. The fact that Messrs. Myers and Tunstall, having taken passage for Cadiz on board a French boat, were but temporarily on shore when they were seized, and might believe themselves, as a consequence, still under the protection of our flag, this fact might authorize us, strictly speaking, to complain, on our own account, of the deplorable measures, under all aspects, which Mr. De Long has not hesitated to adopt. I do not desire, however, to put the question upon that ground. It is sufficient that we should recall to mind the conflict which arose at Smyrna, some years ago, between the commander of a vessel of the United States and the commander of an Austrian brig, respecting a Hungarian refugee, Martin Costa, to be assured that the federal government will not judge of the incident referred to otherwise than we do. In fact, it has not been forgotten that Costa, having disembarked from an American vessel, and having been arrested by order of the consul of Austria, at once claimed the American protection; that, upon the order of the charge d’affaires of the United States at Constantinople, the commander of the American corvette, the St. Louis, wrote to the commander of the Austrian brig, the Huzar, to demand from him, nolens volens, the surrender of Costa, held on board his vessel, and that this proceeding brought about finally, with the intervention of the foreign consuls, the release of the Hungarian refugee. It cannot be that, after the commander of an American vessel has drawn up, with the approbation of his government, demands so energetic on a similar occasion, that the United States can have any interest in defending acts which are so contrary, as that which Mr. De Long has permitted himself to commit, to the principles which they then honored themselves in defending.

Accept, &c,