Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.
Sir: The elections of the 12th passed off without disturbance, though marked by unusual animation, and have resulted in important gains for the liberal party, increasing its majority from twelve to twenty in the house, and from eight to twelve in the senate. The relative strength of the parties in the late Chambers was sixty-four liberals to fifty-two conservatives in the house, and thirty-three liberals to twenty-five conservatives in the senate. It is now seventy-two to fifty-two in the house, thirty-seven to twenty-five in the senate; the increase in the liberal votes in both houses being equal to the increase in the number of members corresponding to the increase of population was voted last session.
The radical wing of the liberal party, whose half dozen votes in the house were at times a source of embarrassment to the government, has not been augmented, and its power is, consequently, in a measure neutralized.
The cabinet is now strong enough to be moderate in its internal policy, and if measures tending to annoy half the population in their religious belief can be avoided, the country will be likely to pass through the crisis which threatened from external complications, better than if divided and exasperated by partisan quarrels, which might be used to sow disunion and discontent, and excite excesses profitable to those who are inimical to Belgian nationality.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.