_Washington, February 24, 1835_.
EDWARD LIVINGSTON, Esq.,
_Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.
SIR: Your dispatches to No. 73 have been received at the Department--No.
73 by yesterday's mail. Nos. 70, 71, 72 were delayed until this morning
by the mismanagement of the young man to whose care they were committed
by the captain of the packet _Sully_ in New York.
In the very unexpected and unpleasant position in which you have been
placed I am directed by the President to say to you that he approves of
your conduct as well becoming the representative of a Government ever
slow to manifest resentment and eager only to fulfill the obligations
of justice and good faith, but at the same time to inform you that he
should have felt no surprise and certainly would have expressed no
displeasure had you yielded to the impulse of national pride and at once
have quitted France, with the whole legation, on the receipt of the
Count de Rigny's note of the 13th of January. M. Sérurier, having
received his orders, has terminated his ministerial career by the
transmission of a note, a copy of which and of all the correspondence
had with him is herewith inclosed. M. Pageot has been presented to me
as charged with the affairs of France on the recall of the minister.
The note of the Count de Rigny having no doubt, according to your
intention, received from you an appropriate reply, it is only necessary
for me now to say that the Count is entirely mistaken in supposing that
any explanations have been given here by M. Sérurier of the causes that
have led to the disregard or postponement of the engagements entered
into by France after the rejection of the appropriation by the last
Chamber of Deputies, and of which he was the organ. No written
communication whatever has been made on the subject, and none verbally
made of sufficient importance to be recorded, a silence with regard to
which could have been justly the foundation of any inference that the
President was satisfied that the course of the French administration was
either reconcilable to the assurances given him or necessary to secure
a majority of the Chamber of Deputies.
The last note of M. Sérurier will be the subject of separate
instructions, which will be immediately prepared and forwarded to you.
In the present position of our relations with France the President
directs that if the appropriation to execute the treaty shall be or
shall have been rejected by the French legislature, you forthwith quit
the territory of France, with all the legation, and return to the United
States by the ship of war which shall be in readiness at Havre to bring
you back to your own country. If the appropriation be made, you may
retire to England or Holland, leaving Mr. Barton in charge of affairs.
Notify the Department of the place selected as your temporary residence
and await further instructions.