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No. 214.]

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

UNITED STATES LEGATION,
Brussels, September 7, 1864.

SIR: I enclosed to you on the 6th of July, in my despatch No. 199, a notice published by General Chapelie, inviting recruits for a Belgian legion to serve

in Mexico.

Soon after I called M. Rogier's attention, incidentally, to this notice, and asked him if the government was a party to this organization of troops. He replied that it was not; that, as a government, they had nothing to do with it; that they had, however, given permission to Belgians in their service who desired to go, for without it they forfeited their nationality as Belgians. was nothing in their laws, he continued, which prevented recruiting in Belgium for foreign service, provided it was not against a nation with which they were at peace.

There

This subject, coupled with the appearance in the streets of the recruits in Mexican uniform, has naturally excited public attention, and in the sitting of the 2d, on a motion by M. Coomans, he inquired of the minister of war if it was true that Belgian soldiers had received authorization from the government to take military service in Mexico, and upon what laws it was based. The minister replied that it was in accordance with numerous precedents, and he did not see why exception should be made against those Belgians wishing to serve a daughter of the King, who is a sovereign in another country.

An animated and interesting debate followed, which I enclose from the Moniteur, and which shows considerable embarrassment on the part of the government, and on the part of its friends, to defend its course, such as it is; for its effect would seem to tend to put the representatives of liberalism in Belgium in a false attitude before the liberal sentiment of Europe.

The motion of Mr. Coomans, expressing the regret of the house that the government had authorized the promotion in Belgium of a Belgian military corps for service in a foreign country, failed by a vote of 39 for and 53 against. A substitute, by M. Bara, declaring that "the house, in presence of the formal declaration that the government has remained and will remain completely aloof from the encouragement of a corps destined to serve in Mexico, proceed to the order of the day," passed by a vote of 50 for and 36 against.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

No. 215.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Brussels, September 15, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches Nos.

142 and 143.

The Belge-Mexican corps which is organizing here, and to which reference has been heretofore made, seems to progress but slowly. I am informed that but about one-half the number contemplated (2,000) has been enlisted. The cause appears to be the want of funds to carry out the original plan. There seems to be a good deal of feeling against this expedition on the part of a portion of the population here, which I would not be surprised to see take the form of some public manifestation.

It is probable that this government will soon send an extraordinary mission to Mexico, and that M. Blondeel de von Cuelebroeck, the Belgian representative at Washington, will receive this temporary appointment.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

H. S. SANFORD.

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

No. 220.]

LEGATION of the United STATES,
Brussels, October 24, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches from No. 144 to 149, inclusive; also, your circular despatch of 12th ultimo, and your communications marked "private," under date of September 17, 19, and of 4th instant. The latter, touching the appointment of the present Belgian minister to the United States on an extraordinary mission to Mexico, will be acted upon in accordance with your suggestion. M. Rogier is out of town, and will be absent for a week or so longer.

The King is absent on a visit to Germany and Switzerland, to return early the coming month.

A corps of Belgians, about 600, according to the journals, recruited here for service in Mexico as "Empress Guard," have left here for the country, via St. Nazaire, and sailed last week in the regular French packet for Vera Cruz. Want of funds will probably be an obstacle to the completion of the enlistment proposed here. Apart from the dissatisfaction which seems to be felt among the soldiers and officers as well, the debates in the Chambers reported to you, and which will doubtless be resumed at the next session, have also tended to make the service unpopular; and my impression is that the "Mexican Empire" cannot safely count upon more soldiers from Belgium, even had it the funds to continue recruiting.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

No. 227.]

LEGATION OF the United States,

Brussels, November 17, 1864.

SIR: The regular session of the legislative chambers commenced on the 8th instant. There was no discourse from the throne, the King having only returned on the 15th.

The budget for the year 1865, which has just been distributed, estimates the receipts at $32,000,000 in round numbers, being an augmentation upon the year 1864 of $370,000, and the credits asked for amount to $30,720,000, showing an excess of receipts over expenditures of $1,100,000. This excess, however, is applied to extraordinary expenses of public utility, provided for by anterior legislative enactments.

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The credits asked for are as follows:

For civil list, (royal family, $680,000; senate, $12,000; house of

representatives, $37,000)

Minister of justice

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$850,000 2, 967, 000 635, 000 6, 990, 000 2,765,000

5,874, 000

2,273,000

The only augmentation I remark in the budget for foreign affairs is for an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Mexico, and the expenses of the office of a legation there.

The usual provision is made for a minister resident at Washington, the pay not having been increased, although the present incumbent of that mission has the title of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary.

I am given to understand that it is probable a considerable increase will be asked for in the pay of the Belgian diplomatic agents.

The financial system of Belgian was recounted fully in my despatch No.-; referring to that for details, I give below the items of estimated receipts under their general heads, showing also augmentation or decrease upon the previous receipts. The estimates under the head of "contribution personnelle,” (increased $17,000,) amount to.

The real estate tax, (foucier).

Business licenses, (droits de patents, increased $11,000,) to
Licenses for sales of alcoholic liquors, (increased $14,000).
Licenses for sales of tobacco, (increased $1,000)...

Mines..

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Customs, (decreased upon 1862 $200,000, decreased upon 1863 $322,000)

Export dues, (increased $7,000)..

Tonnage dues, (on flags not a party to Scheldt treaty)

Excise, (increased $137,000)

Registry tax..

$2,200, 000 3,780,000

800,000 264, 000

43, 000 80,000

2,600,000

10,000 3,000 5,300,000 '2, 800, 000 520,000

2, 200, 000

950, 000

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520, 000

Post office, (increased $40,000).

672, 000

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Railroad dependencies, (decreased $5,000)

15,000

Establishments and service carried on by the state, (decreased

$25,000)

40,000

Divers and incidental receipts, (decreased $10,000)

180,000

Product of the employment of caution money, (increased $10,000).
Visas, &c., (decreased $3,200)..

26,000

800

Pilotage dues, (increased $20,000).

140, 000

quotas...

Allowance for expenses in collecting provincial and commercial

Miscellaneous, (increased $2,000).

30,000 320,000

The most notable diminution, it will be seen, is in the receipts from customs. This is owing to the suppression of some duties, as provided by the convention with France, the reduction of duties on timber, &c., and the suppression or reduction of various duties about to be proposed to parliament. The expense of collecting the small amount of this branch of revenue is 34 per cent. The duties are less than 10 per cent. upon the valuation of the imports. A sound liberal policy would seem to dictate their total abandonment at no distant day.

The real estate tax, (foucier,) which is a fixed tax, has not increased with the value of the land; had it followed that increase it would produce near double the present amount.

The most important augmentation is in the receipts from the railroads. These are to a great extent the property of the state, and the steadily progressive increase of their receipts has become a most important element of the public

revenue.

The budget presents a favorable contrast with those of neighboring states, and gives marked evidence of the great and increasing prosperity of the country. I send it herewith.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

No. 228.]

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

UNITED STATES LEGATION,

Brussels, November 21, 1864.

SIR: Another detachment from the depot of recruits for Mexico was despatched hence last week, via St. Nazaire, about 400 men, I am informed, and the remainder are to go forward by the same route, by the steamer of December. As before stated, recruiting for Mexico has, since some time, been practically suspended.

The whole number recruited amounts, I believe, to some 1,400 men. How many have sailed or will sail from St. Nazaire, I know not. There has been considerable dissatisfaction manifested, and I suspect a good many desertions. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

No. 229.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Brussels, November 25, 1864.

SIR: The news of the almost unanimous election of the Union ticket reached here on the 21st, and has made a profound impression here and throughout Europe. It is received and commented on by the public press and in political circles in accordance with sympathies for or hostile to republican institutions. While the organs which represent the latter feeling consider and deplore this result as giving assurance of a prolongation of the war, the representatives of more liberal sentiment hail it as a triumphant vindication of the principles of self-government, and an assurance that the Union has passed safely through its greatest trial, and is to stand as their great exemplar through ages.

I enclose some of the comments of the newspapers here on the receipt of the news, and would call your attention to an article from the Journal de Gaud, also enclosed, as a fair rendering of the enlightened liberal sentiment of the country. As Ghent is the great centre of cotton manufacture of Belgium, this journal may be supposed to speak authoritatively, in so far as this country is concerned, for that class in favor of which the sympathies of the world have been so loudly invoked, by reason of the war.

The deep interest with which our struggle is regarded in Europe, both by the party of liberal progress and those hostile to it, becomes every day more apparent, and the causes of that interest are more openly admitted. The former see in our success the vindication of the principles they profess, and the reasons for the reforms they are struggling for. The question of slavery seems to them now, so far as my observation extends, however much at the outset it seemed to enlist their sympathy, but of minor importance. While desiring, on the broad ground of philanthropy, that it should be extirpated, they do not appear to consider its extirpation or existence as likely to have any practical bearing on this side of the Atlantic; while, on the other hand, the safe issue of the "grand republique" from this tremendous struggle would, they assert, have a profound and far-reaching influence in the world; that from it would date a new era of progress and reform in Europe, while its fall would be likely to have a contrary effect, and to cause a reaction from the present liberal tendencies of the age.

Their opponents, on the contrary, seem to dread our success as likely to prepare the way for tronble and revolutions in Europe, as did the successful result of our revolutionary struggle in 1776, and to think that no effort should be spared to avert it; and hence the bitter, unscrupulous, and mendacious course which their organs in the public press have pursued toward us.

It would do much for the right understanding of our cause abroad if we had in some journal in Europe a recognized organ, which could give authoritative information touching the war, our finances, and the general progress of the country. Such a journal ought to be independent of local politics. The newspapers which now give the best information on our affairs are organs of the liberal party, which, except in Belgium, is generally in opposition to the government, and their character for impartiality is, therefore, likely to be called in question. Its appearance would be opportune at this moment, when the popular belief in the unfavorable termination of our war has been so rudely shaken by the result of the presidential election.

While the determination thus evinced by the people of the United States to put down, at any sacrifice, the rebellion, must have great influence in determining a favorable policy of European governments towards us, that result would be likely to be more certain if we made an effort at this time for the enlightenment of the public in the direction indicated.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
H. S. SANFORD.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.

No. 230.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Brussels, November 28, 1864.

SIR: The budget of foreign affairs was discussed in the house of representatives on the 25th and 26th instant, and was voted without exciting any discussion of moment. The appropriation for the mission to Mexico was duly

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