William L. Dayton to William H. Seward, September 29, 1864

Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward

Sir: In my despatch No. 536 I informed you of my application to the French government to learn if it knew of any change in the ownership of the vessels building for the confederates at Bordeaux and Nantes, and I enclosed you at the same time a copy of my communication, which states the friendly purpose of my question. To this I received a courteous and friendly answer from M. Drouyn de l’Huys. But subsequently I have received through the Foreign Office, from M. Chasseloup-Laubat, the minister of marine, a reply not at all in the spirit of my note, but in a fault-finding and somewhat dictatorial spirit. Of this I herewith send a copy and its translation.

Having in my official intercourse here observed the punctilious requirements of this government, I have tried to avoid on all occasions anything which might tend to wound its self-love; but this reply, unexpected, and I think wholly uncalled for, demanded, as it seemed to me, an explicit rejoinder. I have made it in temperate terms, I think, and herewith send you a copy.

We now have, at all events, as a result of this correspondence, what we have not had before, in writing, a distinct promise that neither of these four vessels shall be delivered to the confederates. It is true they may say, in the further progress of this question, as they did in the case of the Yeddo and Osacca, that all they can do is to exercise due diligence to prevent such delivery, but this diligence will, without doubt, be much increased by the consciousness that such promise has been made by them and accepted by us.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,