Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, SIR: Respectfully referring to your communication of the 13th instant, and my reply thereto of the 14th, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a letter from the collector of customs at New York, dated the 15th instant, stating that he had refused a clearance to the steamer Columbia, (Quaker City,) because of suspicious circumstances connected with her. [57] *I am, very respectully, GEO. S. BOUTWELL, Secretary of State. Hon. HAMILTON FISH, [Inclosure.] Mr. Grinnell, collector, to Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEW YORK, Collector's Office, May 15, 1869. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, transmitting a copy of one from the honorable Secretary of State, in regard to the alleged fitting out of several steamers at this port, and beg leave to report that the special vigilance of the officers of customs in this district has already been directed to the vessels named, and I have this day refused to grant a clearance to the steamer Columbia, (Quaker City,) the suspicious circumstances connected with her having induced me to adopt that course. Anticipating your approval of my action in the matter, I am, very respectfully, &c., M. H. GRINNELL, Collector. Hon. GEO. S. BOUTWELL, Secretary of the Treasury. [58] *Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to send inclosed herewith a copy of a letter this day received by me from the United States attorney for the southern district of New York, relating to the steamers Memphis and Santiago de Cuba. The several district attorneys are instructed that, whenever sufficient evidence is made known to them to establish before a court of justice probable cause to believe that any vessel is forfeitable for a violation of the neutrality laws, they are to file a libel and arrest the vessel. The expediency of your informing the minister of Spain that the United States attorneys of the several districts will receive directly from the Spanish consuls any facts they may be pleased to communicate respecting any violation of the neutrality laws of the United States, is submitted to your consideration. Mr. Pierrepont, district attorney, to Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General. FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, DEAR SIR: Yours of the 14th instant, relating to the Memphis and Santiago, came duly, and received prompt attention. There is no evidence as yet on which to detain them. I would suggest that, if the Spanish minister would instruct the Spanish consul here to take some pains and collect some evidence relating to these matters, and bring it to my notice, I shall act with the greatest promptness. Up to this date I have never seen or heard from the Spanish consul. Very respectfully, yours, Hon. E. R. HOAR, EDWARDS PIERREPONT, Attorney-General. [60] Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: In a letter to this Department of the 18th instant, with particular reference to the cases of *the steamers Memphis and Santiago de Cuba, the Attorney-General recommends that you, or any other person in your behalf, communicate, to the attorney of the United States for the proper district, proof of a violation of the law. If such proof be so furnished, judicial proceedings will at once be set on foot for the purpose of preventing or punishing such violation. I am, sir, with, &c., Señor Don M. LOPEZ ROBERTS, &c., &c. HAMILTON FISH. Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 21, 1869. SIR: I have the honor to inclose for your information a transcript of a letter of the 18th instant, addressed to this Department by the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a copy of a communication addressed to him by the collector of customs at New York stating that a clearance had been refused to the steamer Columbia [Quaker City] "because of suspicious circumstances connected with her." I am, sir, with, &c., Señor Don M. LOPEZ ROBERTS, &c., dc. [61] HAMILTON FISH. *Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of Treasury. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 21, 1869. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, with its accompaniment, in relation to the refusal of a clearance to the steamer Columbia [Quaker City,] and to inform you that I have transmitted a copy of the same to Mr. Roberts, the Spanish minister, for his information. I have the honor to be, &c., Hon. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, Secretary of the Treasury. HAMILTON FISH. Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, to Mr. Grinnell, collector. [Telegram.] WASHINGTON, May 21, 1869. MOSES H. GRINNELL, Collector of Customs, New York: If the Columbia has not cleared, withhold papers till further orders. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL. Secretary of the Treasury. [62] *Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Mr. Thornton, the British minister accredited to this Government, having represented to me that the steamer Quaker City is laden with flour, that she has been transferred to a British subject and is bound for Jamaica, I submit to you the propriety of instructing the collector of customs at New York to interpose no obstacles to her departure, upon bonds being given that she will not engage in any proceedings which will give aid or support to any parties prosecuting hostile movements against any government with which that of the United States is at peace. I have the honor to be, sir, yours, &c., Hon. GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, Secretary of the Treasury. HAMILTON FISH. Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General, to Mr. Pierrepont, district attorney. WASHINGTON, June 17, 1869. SIR: The Spanish minister writes to the State Department that an armed expedition for Cuba is fitting out in New York, to sail in a day or two. You will please to use all efforts to prevent it, and instruct the marshal to do the same. Respectfully, yours, &c., Hon. E. PIERREPONT, United States Attorney, New York. E. R. HOAR, Attorney-General. [63] * Mr. Pierrepont, district attorney, to Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General. [Telegram.] NEW YORK, June 18, 1869. SIR: Yours of the seventeenth in relation to the Cuban expedition is received. Action had already been taken by me. EDWARDS PIERREPONT, Hon. E. R. HOAR, Attorney-General, Washington. Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 18, 1869. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday, relative to the alleged fitting out, in the city of New York, of a military expedition for the purpose of joining the insurgents in Cuba, and to inform you, in reply, that immediately upon its receipt a copy thereof was brought to the attention of the Attorney-General, who, it is not doubted, has taken the necessary precautions to prevent the departure of the expedition referred to, should the statements contained in your note be found to be correct. I am, sir, with the highest consideration, your obedient servant, Señor Don M. LOPEZ ROBERTS, &c., &c. HAMILTON FISH. [64] * Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I lose no time in laying before you the original of a note of yesterday, addressed to this Department by Mr. Roberts, the minister from Spain, relative to alleged illegal proceedings at New York with reference to Cuba. Your prompt attention to the matter is earnestly requested. I have understood from Mr. Roberts that he can furnish witnesses of the acts which he complains. I will thank you to return his note. I have the honor to be, sir, yours, &c., Hon. E. R. HOAR, HAMILTON FISH. Mr. Fish, Secretary of State, to Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday's date, relative to alleged illegal proceedings at New York with reference to Cuba. It was at once submitted for perusal to the AttorneyGeneral of the United States, who, in a communication which I have ust received from him, states that you should cause to be prepared an affidavit of the person or persons who know the facts stated in your paper, *to be laid before the district attorney at New York forthwith. [65] Without such an affidavit, that officer would not have the means of procuring the indictment and arrest of the persons implicated. The Attorney-General further states that he will telegraph to the marshal at New York to keep a watch upon the place referred to. I am, sir, with the highest consideration, yours, &c., HAMILTON FISH. Señor Don M. LOPEZ ROBERTS, &c., de., de. Mr. Hoar, Attorney-General, to Mr. Barlow, United States marshal. [Telegram.] WASHINGTON, June 19, 1869. FRANCIS C. BARLOW, United States Marshal, New York City: Military expedition, to sail within two days, reported as organizing at 71 Broadway, roem 36 at 636 Broadway, at 12 East Houston street, and in New York Casino, same street. Look out for them. E. R. HOAR, Attorney-General. Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State. [66] TREASURY DEPARTMENT, June 24, 1869. DEAR SIR: Our detectives inform us that a vessel is fitting out in Philadelphia with munitions of war, and taking on board a considerable number of men destined to aid the revolutionists in Cuba. |