404 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



indifferent spectators of a deplorable event now transpiring in 

 the republic of Mexico, and they think tit to declare that it does 

 not accord with the policies of the United States to acknowledge 

 any monarchical government erected on the ruins of any republi- 

 can government in America under the auspices of any European 

 power. 



The publication of this act, which represented as truly the 

 feelings of the administration as it did the feelings of the 

 country, came perilously close to causing war between France 

 and the United States a war which, coming at that time, 

 might have very materially changed the future destinies of 

 the United States. The French Minister for Foreign Affairs 

 demanded of Mr. Dayton, " Do you bring us peace or do you 

 bring us war? " 



It required a quick counter-move on the part of Mr. Lin- 

 coln and his Secretary of State to repair the dam which 

 Congress had nearly opened to the devouring flood. Mr. 

 Seward hastened to instruct Mr. Dayton to report, " that the 

 proceedings of the House of Representatives were adopted 

 upon suggestions arising within itself, and not upon any 

 communication of the Executive Department, and that the 

 French Government would be seasonably apprised of any 

 change of policy upon the subject which the President might, 

 at any future time, think it proper to adopt ; " and to report 

 also that the question of a policy toward Mexico was an 

 executive one unless Congress should agree by a two-thirds 

 vote of both Housrs, and that the opinions in the House, as 

 demonstrated by the resolution, were u not in harmony with 

 the policy of neutrality, forbearance, and consideration which 

 the President has so faithfully pursued " 



When the Civil War closed the hands of the administra- 

 tion were unloosed, and Mr. Seward was then enabled to 

 assume a more defiant attitude toward French aggression in 

 Mexico, but he hoped nevertheless to accomplish by peaceful 

 means what Generals Grant and Sheridan insisted should be 

 done by the direct threat of military force. In September, 

 1865, he announced in a firm but conciliatory manner, that as 

 France and the United States had armies confronting each 



