Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
Sir: In compliance with your instruction of the 1st of May, No. 444, I spoke to-day with his excellency the minister of foreign affairs of the relations of Hayti and St. Domingo, and of the recent invocation by the latter of foreign influence to secure the recognition of her independence by Hayti. I ascertained in the course of a brief conversation that Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys had instructed the French agents in both extremities of the island to use their influence in favor of establishing peaceful and friendly relations between the two republics before the recent circular was issued by St. Domingo, but this instruction was general in its character, and related to no specific proposal from any quarter. I gathered from what he said that it was written not long after the flight of Salnave. I mentioned that we had received the same circular as that which had been addressed to the consul general of France, and I asked him whether he thought the counsel of foreign powers could contribute to the harmony of the two governments. He said, without hesitation, that he thought it could, and professed his readiness to unite with me in a note to the Haytian government. I replied that I had no instructions that would justify me in taking such a step, and if in view of what he had said my government should think it worth while to co-operate, that the separate and independent action of the governments addressed might, perhaps, be the most efficacious. He assented to the propriety of this suggestion, at the same time assuring me of his readiness to co-operate jointly or separately, and with or without pressure, to procure the recognition of the Dominican republic by Hayti, and he restoration of harmony between their respective governments.
I declined to embrace his proposal to make a joint note—first, of course, because I had no instructions that would have authorized such a step, and secondly, because I did not suppose that even in that indirect way would the United States countenance the interference of France with the political administration of any American state.
I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.