Mr. Fogg to Mr. Hunter
Sir: Your circular, dated May 16, enclosing two printed copies of the President’s proclamation of the 10th instant, relative to insurgent cruisers, is received, and, agreeably to your direction, I this morning waited upon the president of the confederation and placed one of said copies in his hands.
The president remarked that he had already perused a German translation of the proclamation, and that he thought it timely and just. If there was ever a justification for conceding maritime belligerent rights to the rebels, there could seem to be now no excuse for continuing such concession by any neutral or friendly power.
The president expressed himself enthusiastically, as he always does, in relation to the future of our great, free republic, which, with slavery destroyed, would leave no stain upon her escutcheon, at which the friends of liberty and popular institutions in other lands would be compelled to blush. He also asked particularly after the state of Mr. Seward’s health, and in reply to my assurance of his steadily improving condition, he wished me to express to Mr. Seward the profound wishes of the entire government and people of Switzerland for his speedy and complete recovery, and to felicitate him, as also President Johnson, upon the end of the war and the near approach of a re-established Union, based on political equality and universal liberty.
With the highest respect, your obedient servant,
Hon, William Hunter, Acting Secretary of State of the United States of America.