flag soever, or provided with any commission or letters of marque, or their prizes, shall be admitted into our havens or seaports, unless in case of marine disaster, and that requisite orders be issued that under any circumstances such privateers and their prizes be required to go again to sea as speedily as possible. The ministers above named. AT THE HAGUE. [Translation.] The minister for foreign affairs and the minister of justice, by the King's authority, warn, by these presents, all inhabitants of the kingdom, that during the existing disturbances in the United States of America they in nowise take part in privateering, because the Netherlands government has acceded to the declaration upon maritime rights set forth by the Paris conference of 1856, whereby, among other matters, privateering is abolished, and no recognition of commissions got for letters of marque permitted. Also that commissions and letters of marque, in conflict with the aforesaid prohibition, which may issue to inhabitants of the Netherlands, cannot have a lawful effect in behalf of the King's subjects, or of any abroad who are in subjection to the laws of the kingdom. Those who, under such circumstances, engage in or lend their aid in privateering to other people, will be considered as pirates, and prosecuted according to law in the Netherlands, and subjected to the punishment provided for the commission of such offences. THE HAGUE. The ministers above named. [Translation.] The minister for foreign affairs, apprised by a communication from the minister of marine, that the King has authorized the naval force in the West Indies to be seasonably strengthened by his Majesty's steam frigate Zealand, and the screw propellers Dyambi and Vesuvius, for the purpose of giving protection to the trade and navigation of the Netherlands during the contest which seems to be in existence in the United States of North America, wherever it may be desired, therefore esteems it to be his duty to direct the attention of ship-masters, consignees, and freighters, to the peril to which their insurance against loss will be exposed by any violation of the obliga tions imposed on neutral powers to respect actual blockades, and not to carry contraband of war, or despatches of belligerents. In these cases they will be subject to all the resulting losses that may follow, without the benefit of any protection or intervention on the part of his Majesty's government. Of which take notice. The minister above named. THE HAGUE, June, 1861. Mr. Seward to Mr. Pike. No. 8] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 1, 1861. SIR: Your despatch of June 8 (No. 1) has been received. The President approves of your conduct and the sentiments you expressed on the occasion of your first audience by his Majesty. We are gratified by your confirmation of the high opinion we had formed of the fidelity and diligence of your predecessor. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, SIR Referring to your last despatch, in which you say "the government has little time to think of its foreign relations, and when it does think of them, it is chiefly to consider how and in what way it can most effectually counteract the efforts of the revolutionists to procure European intervention in their favor," I beg to observe that within my circle of observation I find no occasion to change the opinion I have heretofore expressed in regard to the general good dispositions of the European governments towards that of the United States. That there is any feeling of active sympathy, I should fear to allege. Every nation has its own peculiar, and to itself, important cares and difficulties, and each devotes the most of its time and attentions to these, caring comparatively little for those of others except so for as they affect their own. The domestic disturbances of a country three thousand miles away is thus regarded with a philosophic equanimity, and I think I may say with very great indifference except in respect to the commercial bearing of the events occurring there. But if little especial sympathy is felt for the United States government, still less is felt for the insurgents, whose revolt is seen to have caused the dire calamities now existing. So that we may still be allowed to claim a balance in our favor of the good wishes of European governments. The revolutionary state of things in the United States has been, and is being very generally and thoroughly discussed in European journals, and all such discussion favors, of necessity, the cause of the government. This is especially true of the discussions in the German publications. * * * * * * * * In Germany, where discussion always partakes more of an absolute nature than anywhere else, from causes not necessary to delineate here, American affairs are more justly and comprehensively handled, and being more completely divested of their transitory features, results as I have stated. On the whole, I think our government and the people it represents have not, thus far, any adequate cause to complain of the attitude of European governments, or the state of European opinion, toward them. The insurgents are nowhere in favor, and certainly have not received so much toleration and encouragement in Europe as was extended to them by a portion of our own press and by the administration of Mr. Buchanan, previous to the breaking out of the war. * * * * * * * We all feel the deepest interest in the progress of events at home, and the utmost solicitude to do on this side of the Atlantic whatever is possible to further the ideas and purposes of our government. For my own part I am most anxious to go wherever, and to do whatever, I can to promote the designs and aid the labors of the administration in the great work devolved upon them. I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, your obedient servant, SIR: Your despatch, No. 3, dated June 14th has been received, and the information which it brings is a cause of high satisfaction. Your proceedings in the various matters mentioned in that communication are approved. I am, sir, respectfully your obedient servant, SIR: Your despatch, No. 4, dated June 16 has been duly received. You will, at the first convenient opportunity, make known to the minister of foreign affairs the satisfaction with which the United States has received intelligence of the prompt decision and friendly action of the government of the Netherlands on the subject of the disturbances occurring in our country. You will receive herewith, confidentially, a copy of my last despatch to Mr. Dayton on the subject of the proffer of our adhesion to the declaration of the congress of Paris. It will serve, I think, to relieve your uncertainty, and to indicate the course you shall pursue. Only Great Britain and France have assumed to say to us that they regard our country as divided or broken, for any purpose, whether of war or of peace. And we have not thought proper to receive that communication from them. We treat as being the sovereign government over all the Union-the disloyal and the loyal, all alike—or we do not treat at all. This simple statement will, perhaps, be necessary to make the paper addressed to Mr. Dayton clearly intelligible to you. These latter remarks you will consider as confidential. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Mr. Pike to Mr. Seward. [Extract.] No. 8.] UNITED STATES LEGATION, SIR: I have communicated to Baron de Zuylen, as directed, your high appreciation of the course of his government on our domestic affairs, as manifested and expressed in his reply to my predecessor's communication of the 8th of April last. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. Mr. Seward to Mr. Pike. No. 12.] DEPARTMENT Of State, Washington, July 26, 1861. SIR: Your very interesting despatch of June 22 (No. 6) has been received. The President is gratified with the just and proper sentiments expressed by the government of Holland concerning the United States. Subsequently to the sending of my despatch to you concerning the affairs of the western powers in Japan, communications have been received from the Tycoon, and his ministers for foreign affairs, measurably supported by Mr. Harris, our excellent representatative there, urging a delay in opening the ports under the treaty in terms so strong that the President has concluded that I shall have a conference here with the representatives of the powers interested in the question. This conference will be held next week. You will be advised of whatever is considered. We have met a reverse in arms. But though at first it seemed appalling, because it was as severe as it was unexpected, yet the result is even now seen to be only a signal for greater effort and more determined resolution. I send you, confidentially, a copy of my most recent despatch to Mr. Adams. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Pike. No. 15.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 15, 1861. SIR: We learn, in a manner which obliges us to give unwilling credit, that the Sumter, an armed steamer, well known through all the American seas to be a privateer fitted out for and actually engaged in depredations upon the commerce of the United States by some disloyal citizens, under the command of an officer named Semmes, on or about the 17th of July last, entered the port of Curaçoa and communicated directly with the local author ities of that island; that she was hospitably received there and was permitted to take a large quantity of coals, (said to be 120 tons,) and also to take on board a large supply of provisions; that the privateer's crew was allowed entire freedom in the place; that when one of the crew had deserted, an order was given by the authorities of the port for his arrest; that the attempt for that purpose having proved unsuccessful, the same authorities pledged themselves that the arrest should be afterwards effectually made, and that the deserter should be held in custody, to be surrendered to the pirate captain on his return homeward to the island. You are instructed to bring this matter immediately to the notice of the government of the Netherlands. The subject of damages for so great a violation of the rights of the United States will be considered when we shall have properly verified the facts of the case. In the mean time you will ask the government of the Netherlands for any explanation of the transaction it may be able or see fit to give. You will further say that the United States, if the case thus stated shall prove to be correct, will expect, in view of the treaties existing between the two countries, and the principles of the law of nations, as well as upon the ground of assurances recently received from the goveror of the Netherlands, that it will disown the action of its authorities at Curaçoa, and will adopt efficient means to prevent a recurrence of such proceedings hereafter. If the case thus presented shall not be found entirely erroneous, or be very essentially modified, the United States will expect that the governor of the island of Curaçoa will be promptly made to feel the severe displeasure of the government of the Netherlands, a country with which we have lived on terms of unbroken friendship for three quarters of a century. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES S. PIKE, Esq, &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. No. 13.] Mr. Pike to Mr. Seward. UNITED STATES LEGATION, The Hague, August 18, 1861, SIR: I avail myself of the departure of my predecessor, Mr. Murphy, for America, who sails in the Arago from Havre on the 20th instant, to send you this communication. The news from America to the 8th instant, which comes to-day by telegraph, is received with satisfaction. The continued successes in Missouri; the election of a majority of Union representatives to the Kentucky legislature, giving renewed assurance of the conservative position of that important State; the prevailing quiet in Maryland and Delaware; and the failure of the confederate commanders to take any advantage of their recent extraordinary good fortune, all tend to reproduce the general state of feeling that prevailed on this side of the Atlantic before the occurrence of the disaster at Bull Run. But there has never been anything here to correspond to what appears to have been the momentary depression and alarm felt at home after the repulse of our troops. The event was never regarded here to be of great significance, as it was a flight without a pursuit, and a victory of which the victor was not aware. The reverse seems now to be all summed up in the fact of a failure to advance on the part of the Union forces. |