Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton
Sir: I have received your despatch of the 18th of July, No. 515, which gives me your views of the complaint of Mr. Chase, United States consul at Tampico, concerning certain notes addressed to him by a French officer on the entrance of a French military force at that place. Your despatch is accompanied by a memorandum concerning the case which M. Drouyn de l’Huys has committed to you for the information of this government.
This memorandum is written in a candid and liberal spirit, and induces an expectation that, when the minister for foreign affairs shall have received the explanations which he has asked from the military authorities, he will relieve the case of all its gravity, by showing us that the French officer addressed his offensive notes to the consul, without proper consideration of the respect due to that officer as an agent of the United States, and that the rudeness of the note is disapproved by his Imperial Majesty’s government. I freely admit that I concur with you in the opinion that Mr. Chase might, with entire propriety, have consented to the proposed withdrawal of the note of which he complains; and I regret that he did not do so. You are quite at liberty to communicate this opinion of mine to M. Drouyn de l’Huys. This government attaches only as much importance to ceremonial questions as the prevailing state of public sentiment on this class of national issues requires. It has no desire to lift them to the dignity of diplomatic debate.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
William L. Dayton, Esq., &c., &c., &c.