The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22, July 1918 - April, 1919 Page: 311

                                
M11exican Projects of the Confederates

Slaughter addressed a letter to him, the tone of which indicated
a. good understanding betwen the two officials. Mejia was assured
that the "Confederate Government and authorities would use all
their efforts to, continue and perpetuate the most friendly rela-
tions with the Imperial Government," and that any vessels sail-
ing under its flag in Confederate waters would be "treated with
every consideration.'"52  Slaughter later wrote that the imperial
commander of the port of Bagdad           had  informed   him   that
he had private instructions to permit all the arms, ammuni-
tion, and supplies of war the Confederates desired to be intro-
duced and p.assed"-an arrangement which accorded with a private
proposal previously made to Mejia."        On November 5, 1864,
Florentine L6pez, another Imperialist commander, wrote Kirby
Smith in order to express liberal sentiments toward the Confeder-
acy and to ask that F. Ducayet, one of its secret agents, be given
power to negotiate with the Empire. Smith replied that he had
not the authority so to clothe Ducayet, but that he would forward
the letter of L6pez to, the President with strong recommendations
in behalf of that agent."   In January, 1865, Quintero, was said
to have had an interview with Marshal Bazaine, and rumors were
abroad to the effect that bearers of dispatches from    Maximilian
through Kirby Smith to Jefferson Davis had passed simultaneously
through Mobile, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississiprpi."5
Bazaine seems to have given the idea. of a Confederate alliance
rather careful consideration, even going so far as; to ask the ad-
vice of a member of the Belgian legation in Mexico. This official
who, responded with a note of considerable length advised great
caution in regard to the Confederate machinations. While he did
not think open hostilities with the United States were probable,
nevertheless, he deemed it wise, in view of the state of excitement
which existed in that country, not to furnish a "rallying cry for
the popular passions."   So far from giving aid to the rebels who
when joined by Jeff. Davis are contemplating a last stand there,
it might be wise to oppose them: for a final resistance on. thle
part of the rest of the South in Texas would be a great source of
52H ouse Ex. Doc., 1, 39th Cong., 1st sess., 503-504.
I3[bid., 504-510.
"Official Records, I, XLVIII, i, 1379-1380.
5'Ibid., loc. cit., ii, 307-308, 771.

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