William L. Dayton to William H. Seward Secretary of State, March 19, 1864

Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward

Sir: I have the honor herewith to enclose to you a translation of a communication just received from Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys, in reference to the case of Mr. Mansfield, United States consul at Tabasco, Mexico.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys to Mr. Dayton

Sir: The correspondence of the French diplomatic and consular agents in Mexico not having informed me of the vigorous measures, of which Mr. Mansfield, consul of the United States at Tobasco, was the object, according to information received by the cabinet at Washington, I have requested my colleagues of the department of war and of the marine to make known to me if they had, on their part, any knowledge of the facts to which you have called my attention. M. le Marechal Randon and M. le C’te de Chasseloup-Laubat have just answered me that the reports of the commandant-in-chief of our naval division and of the superior commandant of Vera Cruz make no mention of an incident which, it seems, could not have escaped their attention. Although I have, on this account, no good reason to doubt the correctness of the information sent to Washington, I have, nevertheless, written to our consul at Vera Cruz, in order to obtain some more positive information in regard to this matter.

Accept the assurances of the high consideration with which I have the honor to be, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant,