The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-28
Our Relations with France,


me Mexican kmpife.
WASHINGTON, Nay 25.-The House
listened with close attention to the
reading of the Dayton correspondence
There were murTaurs Of disapprobation
when certain extracts from Seward s
dispatches we're reached. The papers
we're referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations, and il is understood
that Winter Davis viii make a report
70 the House.
The great importance Of this cor
respondence leads me to give it in fall /:
"To ne House Of Representatives.
'ln answer to q resolution of the
House of Representatives, yesterday.
on the subject of the joint resolution Of
the 4th of last month, relative to Mexi-
co, have transmitted a report from
the Secretary Of State to whom the or
ders was referred.
Signed, "ABRAnsN Lrycolx.
"WAsIuNGToS, May "a, 1855
''I6 The President:
The Secretary Of State, to whom has
( been referred the resolution of the
House Of Representatives yesterday, re-
questing the President to communicate
TO that House, If not inconsistent with
the public interest, any explanation
given by the Government of the United
States to the Government Of France
1 respecting the sense and bearing Of the
joint resolution relative to Mexico,
which passed the House Of Representa-
tiVes unanimously, on the 4th of April,
1864, has the honor 20 lay before the
President a copy Of all the correspon-
dence on record in this department on
the subject Of the Joint resolution.
Respectfully submitted
Signed "WM H. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State.
"WAsHEGToN, May a, 1865"
Mr. SEWARD AND nm. DAYTON.
"DEpARTNExr or STArE.
WASHINGTON, April :, 1864.
"Sm:-Ihere send you a copy Of a
resolution which passed the House of
Representative on the 4th inst, By
unanimous vote, and which declares
the opposition of that body 70 a recog-
milton Of a monarchy in Mexico. Mr.
Godfrey has lost no time in asking an
| explanation Of this proceeding 1T il
| hardly necessary after what I have
heretofore written with perfect candor
for the information of France, to say
that this resolution truly interprets the
/ unanimous sentiment Of the people of
the United States in regard to Mexico
1t is, however, another and distinct
question whether the United States
would think it necessary or proper to
/ express themselves in the form adopt
ed by the House Of Representative at
this time. This is a practical and
merely executive question, and the de-
cision Of il constitutionally belongs not
even to Congress, bat to the President
Of the United States. You win Of
course take notice that the declaration
made by the House Of Representives,
is in the form of a joint resolution,
which, before it can acquire the char
acteF Of a legislative act, must receive,
FIRST the concurrence of the Senate
and, secondly, the approval Of the
President of the United States, or in
case of his refused assent. Of both
Houses of Congress, to be expressed
by majority Of two-thirds of each
body. While the President receives
the declaration Of the House of Rep
resentatives with the profound respect
to which it is entitled as an exposi-
ton Of its views upon r grave and i'm
portant subject, he directs that you in
form the Government of France that
he does not at present contemplate
any departure from the policy which
this Government has heretofore pursu-
ed, in regard to the war which exists
between France and Mexico. It is
hardly necessary to say that the pro-
ceeding Of the House Of Representa-
tives, was adopted on suggestions aris-
ing within itself, and not upon com
munication Of the executive depart
ment, and that the French Govern
ment would be reasonably appFised Of
any change Of policy upon this sub
ject which the President might st any
future time think it proper 10 adopt
Il am, sir, your Obedient servant,
II lSigned, Wa IL SEwARD.
Mr. DATToy TO NE SEWARD.
lEztraet1
"PARIs, April %, 1864
Il visited Mr. Drouyn De L'Huys yes
terday, at the Department Of Foreign
Affairs. The first words he addressed
70 me on entering the room we're, Do
you bring us peace, or bring us war; !
asked him to what he referred, and he
said he referred more immediately to
the resolution recently passed BY Con
gress in reference TO the invasion 0f
Mexico BY the French, and the estab-
lishment Of Maximiiian upon the throne
OF thecounfFy. I replied that I did not
think France had a right to infer that
We were about to make war against her
on account Of anything contained in
the resolutions, that they embodied
nothing more than had been constantly
held out to the French Government
from the beginning; that ] had always
represented to the Government here
that any action upon their part inter
fering with the form Of government Of
Mexico would be looked upon with dis-
satisfaction in our country, and they
could not expect us to be ia haste 20 ac-
knowledge q mOnarchical Government,
built upon the foundation Of a republic
which was our next neighbor; that
had reason to believe that you had held
the same language 10 the French Min
ister in the United States This aliega-
tion be did not seem 70 deny, bat obyi-
OusIy received the resolution ia ques-
ton as a serious step upon our part, and
I am told that leading secessionists have
built largely upon these resolutions as
a means Of foraenting III feeling between
this country and ourselves 3lr Mason
and his Secretary have gone 70 Brussels
TO confer with Alr Dudley Mann, who
Is their Commissioner at that place.
Mr Siidell, IL j. said, was to have gone
TO Austria, although be has not got OF
II am, sir, your obedisnt servant,
lSignedj, ~WM l. D4rT0x
Hon WM SEWARD, Sec'y Of STATE.
bIr. Dayton writes again on May "a,
to Mr Seward, detailing the circum-
stances Of an interview after the recep- +
ton OF Mr. sewards dispatch, with 4
which II Drouyn LIluys seemed quite +
satisfied, aud noticing the apparent f
fact that the extreme sensitiyensss Of i
the French Government relative 70 the
House resolutions had evidently subai-
ded
Alr. Seward wrote very briefly on
Nay 9th and Nay 2lst expressing his
entire satisfaction With what Mr Day-
ton had said ia his inleryiew with tie
French Minister and speaking of AR