400 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



hold permanent possession of any part of that country, or to 

 endeavor by force to direct or control its political destiny, it does 

 not call in question its right to carry on hostile operations against 

 that republic for the redress of any real grievances it may have 

 suffered. But we insist that such hostilities be fairly prosecuted 

 for that purpose and be not converted into the means of acquisition 

 or of political contract. 



Replying to the invitation extended by the three allies 

 that the United States should become a party to the London 

 Convention, and join them in the recovery of their claims 

 against Mexico, Mr. Seward said : 



. . . the President does not feel himself at liberty to ques- 

 tion, and he does not question, that the sovereigns represented have 

 undoubted right to decide for themselves the fact whether they 

 have sustained grievances, and to resort to war against Mexico 

 for the redress thereof, and have a right also to levy the war sev- 

 erally or jointly. The United States have a deep interest, which, 

 however, they are happy to believe is an interest held by them in 

 common with the high contracting powers and with all other 

 civilized states, that neither of the sovereigns by whom the con- 

 vention has been concluded shall seek or obtain any acquisition of 

 territory or any advantage peculiar to itself ... or to exercise 

 " any influence of a character to impair the right of the Mexican 

 people to choose and freely to constitute the form of its own gov- 

 ernment. ... It is true, as the high contracting parties assume, 

 that the United States have, on their part, claims to urge against 

 Mexico. Upon due consideration, however, the President is of 

 opinion that it would be inexpedient to seek satisfaction of their 

 claims at this time through an act of accession to the convention. 



On March 3, 1862, when Napoleon's duplicity had scarcely 

 become suspected, Mr. Seward addressed Mr. Adams, Minis- 

 ter to Great Britain, as follows : 



The President, however, deems it his duty to express to the 

 allies, in all candor and frankness, the opinion that no monarchi- 

 cal government which could be founded in Mexico, in the presence 

 of foreign navies and armies in the waters and upon the soil of 

 Mexico, would have any prospect of security or permanence. 



Later in March, 1862, the administration became con- 

 vinced of Napoleon's real intentions in Mexico, and upon Mr. 



