PAPERS OF :MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR 127 upon the eve of being broken off- 3 With however the assistance of Saligny who was perfectly faithful & devoted to us throout [sic] these difficulties were compromised and after 14 days of unceasing labor, I had the happiness to exchange between Ur Pontois & Gen Henderson the proj[e]ct & protocol of a Treaty in both languages which I regard as decidedly advantageous to the Republic of Texas, indeed quite a~ much so as the Treatv of France with the United States- It was to be regretted that the King should have been absent from Paris at that time, as he decidedly favoured the recognition of Texas; but that gallant and noble old veteran )Iarshal Soult cherished toward& our object the most friendly dispositions. I should therefore but for the absence of the King have witnessed the formal execution &c of the Treaty before I left Paris- The Marshal was however under the necessity of subscribing the Treaty to the Minis- ter of Commerce after my departure, who in that narrow spirit of monopoly which belongs to the older countries of Europe, took some exception to certain provisions which he regarded as. too advantageous to the Commerce of Texas, and some little delay took piace m conse- quence of it-- I received however a letter from Saligny the day I left London to embark, informing me that such was_the inclination of Marshal Soult to make the recognition tliat Gen. Henderson & Mr Pontois had agreed upon an adjustment of. this difficulty, and that no doubt that the Treaty, upon the direct authority of the King, would be signed the next day. After we had agreed upon the basis of the Treaty and just prior to my leaving Paris, I practised myself a very pardonable piece of diplomacy. Not satisfied with bringing the 11 Presses of Paris to bear in favour of the recognition of 'l'exas, I thought it likewise due to Marshal Soult that I should address him a letter of ·thanks for his favourable regards for Texas and his distinguished attentions to myself, and at the same time to assure him my good offices would be exerted with the Republic of Texas to place the Commerce of France on a morn favourable footing, than those Treaty stipulations which Gen Hender- son and myself had felt ourselves at liberty to concede. I beg leave to inclose you now a Copy of my Letter to the Marshal &. his reply- 4 in the latter you will perceive very distinctly his determina-- tion to sign the Treaty. On my arrival in England with the entire approbation of Gen. Hen- derson I sought an interview with Lord Palmerston, which was politely- granted- I told him that Gen. Henderson was ready immediately a:,: the Treaty was signed with France to come over to England, and to write with me in an application for the recognition of Texas by the Government of Great Britain. As the American Minister and almost every person in England with whom I confered, were of a opinion that this effort was altogether unavailing in conseouence of the Slave Ques- tion, and the implacable hostility of O Connell to the Infant Republic. you _may very well suppose how surprised I was to receive the following reply from his lordship- He informed me that the British Govern- ment for some time had been satisfied that Texas had achieved her inde- •cf. Henderson's account in no. 1433. 'Nos. 1445 and 1446.
Powered by FlippingBook