Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton
Sir: Mr. Geofroy, charge d’affaires of the Emperor, has submitted for my perusal a despatch which, on the 21st of March last, was addressed to him by M. Drouyn de l’Huys, in which he renews a request that the French government may be allowed to send to this country some officers who shall have facilities for observing military arrangements and preparations on both sides of the civil war, with an exclusive view to their bearing on improvements in the art of war. M. Drouyn de l’Huys, in support of this request, reminds us that all governments which follow with most marked interest the progress of military art have, every time when war has broken out, obtained the privilege of attaching officers for making such observations to general staff of each of the belligerents.
We have cheerfully acceded to this urgent application, so far as it relates to the army of the United States, but we cannot extend the commission so as to permit commissioners to pass our lines to make observations among the insurgents. You need not be informed that the United States have not only not recognized the insurgents of this country as a lawful belligerent, but that this government constantly protested against the award of that character to them by France, and other foreign powers. We have distinctly asserted that they ought to be regarded by all friendly powers as avowed insurgents.
The President has not deviated from this line of policy, and could not with a just regard to the public welfare deviate from it further than to alleviate the severities of the painful conflict by such exceptional practices in regard to prisoners of war as the sympathies of fraternity and humanity require.
We have no jealousy of France, and have perfect confidence that such a military commission as she proposes would conduct itself with entire abstinence from whatever might be prejudicial to the United States. But at the same time we cannot fail to see that the insurgents themselves would infer from such a concession to France that we were willing to regard them as a recognized military power, and that this erroneous interpretation would have a tendency to prolong their resistance to the national authority. Not long ago her Britannic Majesty’s government applied to the United States for leave to send an agent through our military lines to remonstrate with the insurgents. It was believed that such a remonstrance could not in itself be injurious to the interests of this government; but the request was nevertheless declined upon the same general ground that I have assumed in this communication.
You will please make these necessary explanations to M. Drouyn de l’Huys, with the assurance that the President sincerely regrets that he finds himself obliged to withhold a courtesy which would be gratifying to the Emperor of France. I have frankly made known to Mr. Geofroy the contents of this despatch.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
William L. Dayton Esq.