This note, like some others that M. Drouyn de l’Huys has written to me,
is unsigned, and a mere substitute for an informal verbal communication,
but, being in writing, is the more satisfactory as the less liable to be
misunderstood.
Our consul in this case may be, and doubtless is, right in his complaint
of rudeness on the part of French officials, but it does seem to me he
would have shown more judgment if he had accepted the offered withdrawal
of the notes complained of (which was an implied apology) rather than
made this rudeness the subject of a serious diplomatic
correspondence.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
[Translation.]
M. Drouyn de l’Huys to Mr. Dayton
Memorandum.—July, 1864.
The minister of foreign affairs of the Emperor has examined the two
despatches of the American consul at Tampico, relative to the
threats of imprisonment to which he has been subjected, despatches
which M. the minister of the United States has been directed to
communicate to the government of his Majesty. It is not possible to
answer Mr. Dayton definitively upon this subject before receiving
the explanations requested of the commandant-in-chief of the French
forces in Mexico. The attentive perusal of the second despatch of
Mr. Chase cannot fail, however, to suggest to M. Drouyn de l’Huys
some reflections, which it seems to him proper to offer at once to
M. the minister of the United States. The circumstantial details
given in regard to this affair by the American consul in his last
report are in effect of a nature to lessen very much its
gravity.
According to the declaration of Mr. Chase himself, he had already in
his hands the two letters of the superior commandant of Tampico,
which now cause his demand for satisfaction when he went to this
officer to represent to him that he could not answer for the good
conduct of any one who might enter Tampico.
The commandant excused himself for having written as he had done, in
alleging that he had been led into it by the alarming rumors which
were at that time in circulation.
A short time afterwards Mr. Chase made a second visit to this same
officer, to present, with a view to preventing any disquieting
remarks, the captain of an American ship-of-war which had arrived,
in the mean time, at Tampico.
The incident seemed then completely void, when the French commandant
learnt from the manager of the imperial consulate that Mr. Chase,
having re-read his second note, had manifested an extreme
dissatisfaction with it. The commandant of Tampico hastened then to
send back the French agent to the American consul to offer to
withdraw the letters by which he felt himself wounded. Mr. Chase
answered to this offer by requiring written apologies, in order to
transmit them to his government, and the French officer refused
them.
These are the facts, as Mr. Chase himself states them. Now it appears
from this recital that the misdoings of the superior commandant of
Tampico would consist in having written to the American consul in
terms assuredly much to be regretted, but that he hastened, upon
learning the impression which they had made upon this consul, to
offer him spontaneously the withdrawal of his notes. He no doubt
thought that would suffice Mr. Chase, since the two visits of the
latter did not allow him to suspect the importance which the
incident might take in the eyes of this agent. It is not to be
admitted for an instant, as the latter gives it to be understood,
that it was the appearance of a federal ship which brought the
commandant of Tampico to the more correct proceedings, for he had,
before the arrival of this vessel, very courteously received the
observations of Mr. Chase, and, to speak the truth, it is rather
singular that it was only after the satisfactory explanations
exchanged and after a second visit to the French officer, in order
to present to him the federal captain, that Mr. Chase thought it
useful to re-read more attentively, or to cause to be more
faithfully translated, a note of six lines which had been the cause
of all his previous proceedings.
So, by the very terms of the despatches of the consul of the United
States, if there were for a moment a fault in the proceedings on the
part of the superior commandant of Tampico, this officer seems to
have wished, by his after conduct, to have effaced its impressions
upon Mr. Chase.
