Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 15, 1865. SIR: The note of the 25th of July last, in which you inform me that the chargé d'affaires of Hayti has requested her Majesty's government to concur in guaranteeing the neutrality of the peninsula of Samana, and that he appears to suppose that the government of the United States might not be disinclined to concur, has been received. Having taken the instructions of the President, I have now to state, for the information of her Majesty's government, that the government of the United States are sincerely desirous that the entire island of Hayti may now and henceforth remain subject exclusively to the government and jurisdiction of the people who are the dwellers and occupants thereof, and that they may never be dispossessed or disturbed by any foreign state or nation whatever. This desire is increased rather than diminished by the fact that the inhabitants or people have chiefly derived their descent from former African slaves. The United States sincerely hope that the people of St. Domingo may be able, by the exercise of independent sovereignty, to elevate themselves and contribute beneficently to the elevation of that hitherto unfortunate and injured race. The question, however, which is submitted in your note could never have been propounded at all by the government of Hayti if that government had not in some degree apprehended an inability on the part of the occupants of the island to maintain the sovereignty and independence desired. I admit that if the United States were to allow themselves to consider these apprehensions well founded, that then the United States, from reasons derived from proximity of territory and political sympathies and interests, might not only be very much indisposed to see the peninsula of Samana pass to the hands of any foreign state, but that in that case the United States would deem themselves justified in considering whether they would not be authorized to seek to bring the peninsula within their own jurisdiction by just, lawful, and peaceful means. But the United States do not desire nor do they think it expedient to anticipate or apprehend a failure of the inhabitants and people of St. Domingo to maintain their proper sovereignty and independence, and therefore they do not contemplate in any case any proceedings to gain any possession of or control within the island. It is not deemed unreasonable on the part of the government of Hayti that it should ask leading maritime states to guarantee their sovereignty over Samana. The government of Hayti very properly consults the United States government with reference to such a guarantee. The President is gratified, also, that the Haytien government has submitted its views in a proper spirit to Great Britain. Nevertheless, the question unavoidably calls up that ancient and settled policy of the United States which disinclines them to the constituting of political alliances with foreign states, and especially disinclines them to engagements with foreign states in regard to subjects which do not fall within the range of necessary and immediate domestic legislation. This policy would oblige the United States to refrain from making such a guarantee as Hayti desires; but disclaiming for themselves all purpose or desire to disturb the peace and security of Hayti, the United States would be gratified if Great Britain and other maritime states should see fit to regard the wishes of the government of Hayti in the same spirit of justice and magnanimity. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM. H. SEWARD. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, August 19, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I forwarded to her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs a copy of the note addressed to me by the Acting Secretary of State on the 16th of June, cancelling the notice previously given respecting naval armaments on the lakes. Her Majesty's government has instructed me, while expressing the satisfaction with which that note is received, to state that they understand thereby that the notice abrogating the agreement contained in the convention of 1817, limiting naval armaments on the lakes, is absolutely withdrawn, and that the convention of 1817 will continue in force unless it shall be hereafter terminated by a fresh six months' notice, to be given by either of the parties thereto. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. Secretary of State. Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 22, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 19th instant, informing me "that her Majesty's government understand that the notice abrogating the agreement contained in the convention of 1817, limiting naval armaments on the lakes, is absolutely witdrawn, and that the convention of 1817 will continue in force unless it should be hereafter terminated by a fresh six months' notice, to be given by either of the parties thereto." In reply, I have the honor to inform you that the statement of her Majesty's government is accepted as a correct interpretation of the intention in this matter of the government of the United States. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 19, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have been officially apprised that the Canadian authorities have paid to the banks at St. Albans, in the State of Vermont, thirty-nine thousand five hundred and twelve dollars and seventy-five cents in gold, and thirty thousand and ten dollars in bank notes, in compliance with an act of the Canadian parliament, on account of the amount deposited with the authorities of that province upon the arrest of the St. Albans marauders. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient ser vant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, Sr., &c., §. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, September 22, 1865. SIR: I transmitted to her Majesty's government copy of the note you did me the honor to address to me, informing me that you had recommended to the Secretary of the Navy of the United States the adoption of proper measures to carry into effect the treaty of 1862 for the suppression of the slave trade. I am instructed to express, in reply, the satisfaction felt by her Majesty's government on receipt of this intelligence. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 2, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 22d ultimo, informing me of the satisfaction felt by her Majesty's government with the proceedings of this government to carry into effect the treaty of 1862 for the suppression of the slave trade, and inform you, in reply, that I have communicated the approval of your government to the Secretary of the Navy. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient ser vant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, October 23, 1865. SIR In accordance with instructions which I have received from her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, I have the honor to transmit to you herewith, for the information of the government of the United States, two addresses* from the legislative council and assembly of Victoria, Australia, to her Majesty the Queen, on receipt of the intelligence of the assassination of the late President Lincoln. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Hunter. WASHINGTON, October 23, 1865. SIR: In accordance with instructions which I have received from her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, I have the honor to transmit to you an address of condolence* to the honorable Mrs. Lincoln from the *See Appendix, separate volume. 13 d c * municipal council of Sydney, and to request you to have the goodness to forward the same to its destination. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. Hon. WILLIAM HUNTER, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Hunter to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 25, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 23d instant, together with two addresses to her Majesty the Queen from the legislative council and assembly of Victoria, Australia, inspired by the assassination of the late President Lincoln, and to inform you, in reply, that the expressions of sympathy therein contained are gratefully received by the government of the United States. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant, W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. Hon. SIR FREDerick W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Hunter to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 25, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 23d instant, and its accompanying packet, containing an address of condolence to Mrs. Lincoln from the municipal council of Sydney. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that it will give me pleasure to comply with your request by forwarding the communication to its destination. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant, W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, October 30, 1865. SIR: I bave the honor to enclose copy of a letter addressed by her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to the admiralty and other departments of her Majesty's government, directing that all measures of a restrictive nature on vessels-of-war of the United States in British ports, harbors, or waters are now to be considered at an end; and apprising them that it is the desire and intention of her Majesty's government that the most unrestricted hospitality and friendship should be shown to vessels-of-war of the United States in all her Majesty's ports, whether at home or abroad. I am at the same time instructed to assure you of the satisfaction which her Majesty's government have felt in issuing these orders to her Majesty's authorities. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. Earl Russell to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. FOREIGN OFFICE, October 13, 1865. MY LORDS: With reference to my letter of the 2d of June last, prescribing the course to be taken by her Majesty's several authorities in all ports, harbors, and waters belonging to her Majesty, whether in the United Kingdom or beyond the seas, in consequence of the recognition by her Majesty's government that peace was restored within the whole territory of which the United States of North America before the commencement of the civil war were in undisturbed possession; and with reference more particularly to that passage in my letter, in which it was laid down that confederate vessels departing, in pursuance of requisitions to be made by her Majesty's authorities, from any ports, harbors, and waters belonging to her Majesty, in which at the time of the receipt by those authorities of the fresh orders such vessels might be found, should then, and for the last time, have the full benefit of the prohibition theretofore enforced against pursuit of them within twenty-four hours by a cruiser of the United States lying at the time within any such ports, harbors, and waters, I have the honor to state to your lordships that her Majesty's government are of opinion that it is desirable that her Majesty's naval and other authorities at home, and in her Majesty's possessions abroad, should be formally apprised that, as full time has now elapsed since my letter of the 2d of June for giving effect to the provisions of that letter, all measures of a restrictive nature on vessels-of-war of the United States in British ports, harbors, or waters, are now to be considered as at an end, and that it is the desire and intention of her Majesty's government that unrestricted hospitality and friendship should be shown to vessels-of-war of the United States in all her Majesty's ports, whether at home or abroad. I have addressed a similar letter to the secretaries of state for the colonial, home, and India offices, and also to the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury. I am, &c., Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, RUSSELL. Washington, October 31, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday's date, enclosing a copy of a letter addressed by her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to the admiralty and other departments of her Majesty's government, directing that all measures of a restrictive nature on vessels-ofwar of the United States in British ports, harbors, and waters, are now to be considered at an end, and apprising them that it is the desire and intention of her Majesty's government that the most unrestricted hospitality and friendship should be shown to vessels-of-war of the United States in all her Majesty's ports, whether at home or abroad. In reply, I have the honor to state that, having received through Mr. Adams a copy of the order referred to, I have instructed him to express to Earl Russell the satisfaction with which this gov-ernment regards the action of her Britannic Majesty's government. I have the honor to be, with high consideration, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Hon. SIR FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE, &c., &c., &c. Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Seward. WASHINGTON, November 3, 1865.. SIR The attention of her Majesty's government has been called recently tothe construction of several vessels prepared for the reception of a powerful armament, which are reported to be destined for service on the North American lakes. In view of the convention which exists between the United States and Great Britain determining the armed force to be employed by the parties to it on the lakes, I am instructed to bring the subject under your notice and to request your to be good enough to furnish me with the explanations which it seems to require. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE. |