Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
Sir: The following paragraph appeared last evening in the columns of La France:
[Translation.]
“The Presse, of Vienna, publishes despatches from Paris, announcing that the emperor of Mexico demands the financial support of France, and threatens to abdicate if he does not obtain it.
“It says, also, that the French government is determined to reject the demand, and has sent instructions to Marshal Bazaine, forbidding him to call a free election, in case of Maximilian’s abdication.
“We leave the responsibility of this news to the Free Presse; for it must be accepted with certain reserve, on account of its importance.”
I spoke of this to Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys to-day, and asked if the facts warranted any such statement. He smiled and said, that France did not mean to place any more money in Mexico; that they had invested all they ever meant to in that quarter. I asked about the threat of abdication imputed to Maximilian. The “France,” he replied, “is a little too advanced—a little rash.” “Then he has not held out any such threats,” I asked. “No, not that we have heard of,” was the reply; “but,” he added, “while we are asking questions, what may Santa Anna be about in New York?” I replied that I had not a particle of information upon the subject, nor could I gather nourishment for a good suspicion upon the subject; that his name had not once been mentioned in my correspondence from the State Department, and I had been able to derive no distinct impressions from my private correspondence or from the press. I suggested that the name of Santa Anna had occurred to me at one time as a tertium quid, with which, perhaps, the French government might make a transaction, in case Maximilian failed finally to make himself acceptable to the Mexican people, but as yet I saw no evidence of his having the necessary prestige among the Mexicans for such a role. He assented to that view of Santa Anna’s position, and then the conversation on the subject of Mexico dropped.
I am, sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Department of State, Washington, D. C.