The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-17
Secretary Stewards Instructions to
Minister Dayton.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WARRINGTON. Nav L. 1870


WASHINGTON, May 4, 1860.
SIR:-The dispatches of your predeces,
sor, Nos. III, ll9, and 12O, have been re-
ceived. The latter, acknowledging the
receipt of our letter of recall, and announce
ing his intended return, requires no special
notice. No. III bears the date of 5th of
April last. 1t contains only an exposition
OF Mr.. Faulkner's views on the policy which
this Government ought to pursue 10 regard
to the disturbed condition of affairs at home,
but at the same time gives us no informa>
ton concerning the state of affairs in
France.
The Instructions heretofore transmitted to
you will show you the Presidents views on
the subject Mr.. Faulkner has discussed, and
these will be your guide, notwithstanding
any different opinion your predecessor may
have expressed or left on record at Paris.
No. ll9 bears date of the 18th of April
last, and contains report OF an official
conversation, and also of an unofficial one,
held between Mr.. Faulkner and M. Thou
venel. In the former conversation M.
Thouveuel asked Mr.. Faulkner whether
there is not some diversity of opinion in the
Cabinet of the President as to the proper
mode of meeting the difficulties which now
disturb the relations of the States and the
General Government. Mr.. Faulkner, in
reply, said that he had no information on
the subject. The matter is of no great mo-
ment, yet it is desirable that there be no
Misrepresentation of the true state of the
Government in the present emergency. You
may, therefore, recall that conversation to
M. Thouvenel's memory, and then assure
him explicitly that there is no difference of
opinion whatever between the President
and bis constitutional advisers, or among
those advisers themselves, concerning the
policy that has been pursued and which is
now prosecuted by the administration in
regard to the unhappy disturbances exist
ing in the country. The path of Executive
duty has thus far been too plainly marked
out by stern necessity to be mistaken, while
the solemnity of the great emergency, and
the responsibility it involved, have eXtin-
guished in the public councils every emotion
but those of loyalty and patriotism. 1t is
not in the hands of this administration that
this government is to come to an end at al,
much less for want of harmony in devotion
to the country. M. Thouvenel's declaration
that the United States may rest well assured
that no hasty or precipitate action will be
taken on the subject of the apprehended
application of the insurrectionists for re-
cognition of the independence of the So
called Confederate States is entirely
satisfactory, although it was attended
by reservation of views concerning gen.
eral principles applicable to cases that
need not now be discussed. In the official
conversation Mr.. Faulkner says that he
himself expressed the opinion that force
would not be resOrted to to cOerce the So
called seeding States into submission to
the Federal authority, and that the only So
luton of the difficulties would be found in
such notifications of the Constitutional
compact as would invite the seeding States
back into the Union, or peaceable &C.
quiesence in the assertion of their claim to
a separate sovereignty. The time when
these questions had any pertinency or plausi>
bility has passed away. The United States
waited patiently while their authority was
defed in turbulent assemblies and insidious
preparations, willing to hope that media
tion, offered on all sides, would conciliate
and induce the disaffected parties to return
to better mind, but the case is now alto
gether changed. The insurgents have insti-
tuted revolution with open, fragrant, deadly
war, to compel the United States to &C..
quiesce in the dismemberment of the Union.
The United States have accepted this civil
war as an inevitable necessity. The con.
stitutional remedies for all the complaints of
the insurgents are still open to them, and
will remain so. But, on the other hand, the
land and naval forces of the Union have
been put into activity to restore the Federal
authority and to save the Union from
danger.
You cannot be too decided or two expli-
cit in making known to the French govern
ment that there is not now, nor has there
been, nor will there be any-the least
idea existing in this government of suffering
a dissolution of this Union to take place in
any way whatever. There will be here only
one nation and one Government, and there
will be the same Republic and the same
constitutional Union that have already sur
vived dozen national changes and changes
of government in almost every other coun.
try. These will stand hereafter, as they are
now, objects of human wonder and human
affection. You have seen, on the eve of your
departure, the elasticity of the national
spirit, the vigor of the National Govern.
ment and the lavish devotion of the national
treasures to this great cause. Tell M.
Thouvenel, then, with the highest consider
alton and good feeling, that the thought of
a dissolution of this Union, peaceably or by
force, has never entered into the mind of
any candid statesman here, and it is high
time that it be dismissed by statesmen 10
Europe.
am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
WILLIAM 81. SEWARD.
To VIM. l.. DAYTON, Esq.,, &c. &c.
The, Invasion and Capture Of WASH
ingt0n In 1914.