Mr. Seward to Mr.
Bigelow
No. 445.]
Department of State, Washington,
May 1, 1866.
Sir: I enclose herewith, for your information,
copy of a letter, of the 11th ultimo, which I addressed to the Hon.
William Dennison, the Postmaster General, in reply to his inquiry for my
opinion in regard to the offer of the French government of their line of
steam ocean packets to convey the United States mail between New Orleans
and Vera Cruz.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
John Bigelow, Esq.,
&c., &c., &c.
Mr. Seward to Mr. Dennison
Department of State, Washington,
April 11, 1866.
Sir: I have had the honor to receive your
note of the 10th of April. By that paper I am informed that the
general post department of France has advised you that the service
of the French line of steam ocean packets, running between Vera Cruz
and Matamoras, touching at Tampico, will be extended to New Orleans
on or after the 11th of April instant, and that the employment of
said packets on the line from New Orleans to Vera Cruz has been
tendered to your department for the transmission of such
correspondence as the United States may, with advantage, forward to
Mexico by that route, under an equitable arrangement for the
division of the postage thereon between the two governments.
You submit to me the question, whether there is any political
objection to the arrangement which has thus been proposed?
Having conferred with the President, I have now the honor to state
that a French postal steam vessel running between the ports of
Matamoras and Vera Cauz, can be deemed by
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this government to be exercising the rights of
war as a belligerent against the republic of Mexico, with which
republic the United States are maintaining with constancy relations
of friendship. I think, therefore, that Mexico will have ground of
complaint against the United States if the arrangement proposed
shall be carried into effect.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William Dennison, Postmaster General.
