Count Wydenbruck to Mr. Seward.
The Emperor of Austria, my gracious sovereign, has been informed that his brother is surrounded in Queretaro by the liberals. The fate of the prisoners after the battle of Zacatecas makes the Emperor anxious for his brother’s safety, should he fall into the hands of the liberals. I received yesterday a telegram from my court, instructing me to speak on the subject with Mr. Secretary of State, and to see if you would not be disposed to use your influence with Juarez to urge him to respect, in such an eventuality, the person of my Emperor’s brother. Of course such a friendly intervention would also benefit the other eventual prisoners, particularly the foreigners. We hesitate the less to make this application to you, Mr. Secretary, not only because we have confidence in the friendship of the American government, but because this government seems to have a right to demand from Juarez to respect prisoners of war, as it is in great measure to the moral support of the American government that the liberal party in Mexico owes its present successes.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.