Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of 3d and the 4th of March, together with new maritime regulations in regard to belligerent vessels, and translated copies of two letters which were addressed to you by M. Drouyn de l’Huys concerning the cases of the Florida and the Georgia, respectively.
These piratical vessels having been sheltered in French ports, and having received useful supplies and repairs there, and having then been suffered to depart to renew their work of destruction upon American commerce on the high seas, no good effect could be accomplished by replying now to the explanations which M. Drouyn de l’Huys has given, so far as the cases directly involved are concerned. It is important, however, to have it distinctly understood that this government insists now in these cases, as it insisted in the beginning of our domestic strife, that the decisions of the Emperor’s government, like those of other maritime powers, by which the insurgents of this country, without a port or a ship, or a court of admiralty, are recognized by France as a naval belligerent, are in derogation of the law of nations and injurious to the dignity and sovereignty of the United States; that they have never approved or acquiesced in those decrees; and that they regard the late proceedings in relation to the Florida and Georgia, like those of a similar character which have occurred in previous cases, as just subjects of complaint. The same, views are entertained so far as they apply to the new maritime regulations. We claim that we are entitled to have our national vessels received in French ports with the same courtesy that we ourselves extend to French ships-of-war, and that all real or pretended insurgent vessels ought to be altogether excluded from French ports. We expect the time to come, and we believe it is not distant, when this claim will be acknowledged by France to be both reasonable and just.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
William L. Dayton Esq., &c., &c., &c.