William H. Seward to Cassius M. Clay, September 3, 1861

Mr. Seward to Mr. Clay.

Sir: Your despatch of the 3d of August (No. 5) has been received.

I have been quite well aware that our relations to Great Britain and France, in this crisis of our domestic difficulties, are attended by complications and dangers which altogether surpass any that we can have to encounter in our intercourse with Russia and other northern European powers. We hope and expect to be always in relations of amity and real friendship with those powers, and are very willing to negotiate with them, and especially with Russia, upon the basis of the declaration of the congress of Paris, either with or without the Marcy amendment, though greatly preferring that that amendment shall be incorporated into the treaty.

At the same time, it is well that you should know that thus far the propositions for similar treaties with Great Britain and France have not yet been acceded to by those governments. If the imperial government, for any reason, prefer to delay acting upon the subject until the decisive results of our negotiations with the two other powers named, we shall not expect you to be urgent upon the subject. We simply desire to act justly and candidly with all other nations, so as to give them all reasonable guarantees for the security of commerce during the continuance of our civil war. This done, we can cheerfully abide the coming of events, never doubting for a moment the complete restoration of the authority and high prestige of the federal Union.

Your remarks upon the subject of Mexico are very interesting, and they will have due weight in forming any determination which the rapid course of political events there shall require us to adopt.

I wish that it were compatible with my many cares at this critical moment to impart to each of our ministers abroad a full knowledge of the condition of our negotiations and discussions with all foreign powers. If I could do so, you would probably be satisfied that you are laboring under apprehensions of some imaginary foreign dangers. But such a proceeding is absolutely impossible, and I must be content to advise you, when necessary, of the President’s wishes in regard to your own mission, and leave you, as to the rest, to await ultimate, and yet seasonable, developments.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,