tters from Paris to Mr. Seward, to
General Grant, and to Senor Romero, reported the progress made,
and the nature of the situation as it then appeared to me.

On January 22 I was present at a dinner given by Prince Napoleon
in the Palais Royal. Every shade of political opinion in Paris
was represented among the guests. Political discussion seemed to
be entirely unrestrained, with one exception, when a remark which
savored of disloyalty to the empire was rebuked by the prince.

In the Emperor's address to the French legislature on January 22,
his future policy in respect to Mexico had been hinted at in the
words: "[Our expedition] _touche a son terme_." The declared
purpose of speedily terminating the intervention in Mexico having
been applauded by all, the prince inquired pointedly of me whether,
in my opinion, the Emperor's declaration would be satisfactory to
the United States, and received the unreserved reply that it would,
as I believed, be accepted as satisfactory.

In my report to Mr. Seward of January 24, I expressed the belief
that even his enemies in France would not be disposed to embarrass
the Emperor with respect to Mexico, "well satisfied to see him get
out of that country by any means, and thus avoid war with the United
States"; and I ventured the suggestion that "this course would also
seem wise on our part." In my letter of the same date to General
Grant I said:

"You will get by this mail Napoleon's speech delivered at the
opening of the French legislative session. I was present and heard
the speech delivered. That part of it relating to Mexico and the
United States was received with very general tokens of approbation,
while most of the remainder met with a cold reception. I have
since heard it discussed very freely by many prominent men of all
shades of political opinion, among others the Prince Napoleon.
All seem to recognize the falsity of the Emperor's assumptions
where he says: 'In Mexico the government founded by the will of
the people is consolidating itself,' etc. Yet his statements are,
no doubt, believed by a large majority of the French people, and
therefore afford him a very good reason for yielding to the demand,
made in common by the people of France and the United States, that
his intervention in Mexico shall be brought to an end. This is
the logic of his position and the solution of his difficulty, viz.:
To assert that he has accomplished the object of his expedition to