Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In conversation with Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys, on yesterday, he informed me that you had revoked an order recently given to allow the exportation from Virginia of some tobacco belonging to the French government; that this revocation had been made because, if the concession were made to France, England, perhaps, would, as you supposed, apply for the like favors, which might embarrass you. Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys said they had gone to the trouble of getting the assent of the British government to this act, and the promise on its part never to set up the concession as a precedent, and they hoped you would yet, as a favor, permit the export, though it was one of those matters which you would grant or withhold at your pleasure. But he wished me to let you know that they attached to the concession a certain importance; that tobacco, being a government monopoly in France, it was necessary to their finances that the supply from our country be kept up. He hoped you would yet permit the tobacco to come out. I asked him if it had been bought before the war, or if it had already been paid for, which circumstances, I thought, might influence your action on the question, but he professed himself to be ignorant on both these points. I shall be happy if you can, without sacrifice, grant this favor.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.
P. S.—Since writing the above I have been again spoken to by one of the subordinate officials of this government in reference to the tobacco in question. He speaks of the importance attached to this matter, especially by the minister of finance, and says that this tobacco was bought before the war, and has been already paid for by government.
If this be so, it would seem to me there could be little objection under the circumstances to permitting its export.
D.