Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1866-06-28
The Withdrawal of the French Troops
from Mexico.

*OH 1Iiuay last, the DpeaKer lad
before the House, in response to the re-
quest Of that body, message from the
President, giving all information in his
possession in regard to the employment Of
European troops in Mexico. lie incloses
an official dispatch on that subject from
Mr.. Bigelow, our minister at Paris, dated
June 6, to Secretary Seward.
Minister Bigelow states that he had had
an interview with the French minister df
foreign affairs, in the course Of which that
official took occasion to state that the I'M
perlal government had proclaimed it's in
tentlon to retire from Mexico because it
suited It's interests and convenience to do
50, and Tor no other reason. When, there
fore, that government had announced for
nlally, not only to the United States, but
to ali the world, that the French troops
would be Withdrawn from Mexico, he
thought it should be sufficient. The gov
eminent made its declaration in good faith,
and meant to keep it. It meant to with
draw It's troops IL thes time prescribed
not to take one or two hundred in the sec
Iond detachment, leaving the great BODY Of
l q, -tf9-1 e l last:lhis sthtea.Att his Tx
pl4ellency desired Minister BigeTow to re-
peat to the United States government.
Thercupon Minister Bigelow inquired
whether His Excellency had ever received
through any official channel, any intma-
ton that the United States government I'M
puted to the Emperor of the French such
AN intention to act with bad faith, as that
involved in the withdrawal of the French
troops in unequal installments, to which
His Excellency had referred. His Excel
lncy replied by admitting that this impu-
taion had been conveyed only through
the American newspapers, and not through
any official or authorized channel
In response to Minister Bigelow's re-
quest for an explanation Of shipment by
France Of large bodies of troops to Mexico
after the purpose to withdraw her whole
army had been officially proclaimed, His
Excelency replied that no troops belonging
to the G. rps Elpcditionnatrc had been
sent to Mexico this year, unless for the
sake Of partly replacing soldiers missing,
but at any rate without augmentation of
the number Of standing troops that The
troops whose transportation to Mexico had
occasloned this inquiry did not exceed 500
In number, and consisted of men who had
for a long time been waiting in France and
in Algeria to rcjoin their regiments and
that no more troops had been or would be
enrolled for the foreign legion, since the
Emperor proclaimed his purpose to with
draw his flag from Mexico.
In regard to the shipment of troops from
Austria, he said that was an affair entirely
between that government and the Mexican,
with which France had nothing to do; but
since the subject had been brought up he
had made inquiries Of the ministers Of war
and of the marine, and had ascertained
that no engagements whatever had been
I entered INTO b either Tor the enrolment
OR transportation Of troops from Austria,
for the intention Of the French government
to Withdraw its army entirely from Mexi-
co within the time specified, and sooner,
if climate and other controlling conditions
permitted and further that it was not its
intention to replace these with other troops
from any quarter.
Minister Bigelow, in reply, expressed
his satisfaction in being able to communi-
cate to this government these expressions
Of NJ. Drouyn de liIuys.
He concludes his dispatch to Secretary
Seward by stating that the version of this
important interview, herein given, had
been submitted to and approved by the
French minister Of foreign affairs.