I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, sir, the assurance of
my high consideration.
Hon. William Stuart,
&c., &c., &c.
Mr. Chase to Mr. Seward.
Treasury
Department,
June 14, 1862.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your
letter of the 5th instant, covering a letter addressed to Lord Lyons
by the acting British consul at New York, upon the subject of
certain restrictions upon exports, especially coal, to Nassau and
other British possessions.
In compliance with your request, I return the communication of the
consul, and also a copy of the report thereon made to me by the
collector of New York, to whom this despatch was sent for this
purpose.
The restrictions on coal have been enforced by collectors under my
instructions of 18th April last, alike upon domestic and foreign
shipping clearing to ports north of Cape St. Roque, on the eastern
coast of South America and west of the 15th degree of longitude
east.
It will be my pleasure to remove all restrictions to trade when the
present necessity, which has made them imperative, shall cease.
The despatch of the acting consul is returned.
With great respect,
S. P. CHASE, Secretary of the
Treasury.
Hon. W. H. Seward,
Secretary of State.
[Untitled]
Custom-House, New York,
Collector’s Office,
June 12,
1862.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, which has just
been received, transmitting a copy of a communication from the
acting British consul residing at New York to Lord Lyons,
complaining of restrictions upon exports to Nassau and other
British provinces; and, in reply, have to state that, in the
exercise of the discretion devolved upon me, as an officer of
the government of a sovereign people, I have prohibited the
shipment of coals, and dry goods, and shoes, and quinine, and
other drugs, and tin ware, and munitions of war, and sundry
other articles, to Nassau and the West Indies,
[Page 263]
and other foreign ports, when I
had reason to suspect that they were intended, by individual
enterprise, or the special contracts of British subjects, to
directly contribute to the welfare of the enemies of the United
States.
In respect to the closing paragraph of the acting consul’s
letter, in which it is stated that “articles of ordinary export
[were] at times prohibited, while wares which could only be of
service to a belligerent have been allowed to pass
unquestioned,” I have to say that we have no data in our
possession to refer to for these facts. His letter is
returned.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. S. P. Chase,
Secretary of the Treasury,
