Mr. Burnley to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Lord Lyons in his note of April 11, of this year, had the honor of addressing you on the subject of cotton owned by British subjects in Louisiana and the neighboring States, as represented to him by her Majesty’s consul at New Orleans, copies of whose despatches were enclosed in the above-mentioned note.
Lord Lyons’s note had, however, special reference to a claim of a Miss Murray, who made oath that she was a British subject, and stated that one hundred and seven bales of cotton belonging to her on a plantation in Jefferson county, Mississippi, had been seized by General Ellet, of the United States marine brigade. At the same time the suggestion put forward by her Majesty’s acting consul at New Orleans, with a view to the security of cotton the property of British subjects, was particularly recommended to the consideration of the government of the United States.
You were good enough to state, in your reply of the 15th of the same month, that you had communicated a copy of Lord Lyons’s note, with its enclosure, to the Secretary of War, requesting that Miss Murray’s complaint might be investigated, with a view to such proceedings as might be requisite, and calling his attention generally to the subject as represented by his lordship.
I should feel very greatly obliged if you would inform me whether this matter has indeed engaged the attention of the Secretary of War, and whether I may soon expect to receive something further on the subject.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir; your most obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.