Mr. Pike to Mr. Seward
Sir: We have at last a minister of foreign affairs in Mr. J. Cremers, of Gronengen, the centre of liberal politics in this kingdom.
This appointment does not involve any change in the policy of the present ministry, of which Mr. Thorbecke is still the head; and as the ministry has already taken its ground on the question of granting belligerent rights to the insurgents, and argued out a reply to the suggestion that it would be well for them to review their position, I suppose it is useless at this time to ask a reconsideration of their views.
I am addressed again by Mr. Marx, our new consul at Amsterdam, who, it seems, is still in that city, in regard to his commission and exequatur, but I have still to reply to him that I have not yet received the duplicate commission for which he waits.
I indulge in no review of the political situation of Europe, feeling that it would be perhaps alike uninteresting and superfluous. Ever since England and France broke up on the question of a congress at Paris, affairs have been in a more than usually unsettled condition. France continues to hold an attitude of reserve, and appears to enjoy the embarrassments of England in failing to make anything out of her active negotiations between Germany and Denmark.
[Page 312]People talk about the danger of the war spreading, but I confess my inability to see any solid foundation for such a fear. There is nobody to spread it but France, and she is just now as much isolated as England. In the event of war, on any existing issue, she would be pretty sure to have all three of the other great continental powers opposed to her; and I believe the discord between this power and England to be now so great, that they would not pull together in any hostile policy.
The situation, therefore, with all its uncertainties, I think is, in the main, peace between the leading powers.
* * * * * * * * *
So far as we are concerned, I see nothing that bears upon our interests, either for or against, in the present or prospective action of any European government. They all wait, if without hostility, yet without sympathy, to see what will come of the contest in which we are engaged.
This government receives with regret the intimation that the treaty with regard to emigration to Surinam, lately negotiated here, is not likely to be ratified. Surinam wants labor, and the colonial department is anxious to have the credit of making a treaty that looks to the obtaining of it. I have no doubt, however, of the good policy on our part of rejecting the treaty.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.