Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
[Translation.]
Mr. Langs to the Consul of France
New Orleans,
Louisiana,
November 16, 1863.
Sir: The undersigned has the honor to show
to you, that he shipped, on the 26th October, last month, on board
the English schooner Allison, a certain lot of merchandise, destined
for Matamoras, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
That he obtained, on the 29th October past, a visa of his passport,
at the consular office for Matamoras, and that such visa was
recorded at the office of the provost marshal of the United
States.
That, besides, he obtained a pass from the said provost marshal,
which authorized him to embark on the schooner Allison, on her
departure for Matamoras.
That the said schooner Allison was regularly cleared by the
custom-house of this city on the 28th of said month of October past,
for the port of Matamoras, Mexico.
That, despite compliance with all these formalities, the said
schooner was not allowed to leave the port of New Orleans, with her
cargo and passengers.
That the result of what precedes is, that the signer of this
statement is seriously injured in his interests, and finds himself
under the necessity of addressing the consulate of his country, and
to ask that justice and redress may be rendered to him.
That the forcible detention at this port of the schooner Allison, and
on the other hand of himself, causes to him serious injury, which he
estimates up to this day at the sum of six thousand dollars, besides
100 dollars per day for a longer forcible detention.
He has, in consequence of what precedes, the honor to beg the consul
of France at New Orleans to have the goodness to confirm his
reclamation, and to bring it to the knowledge of his excellency the
minister of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor, near the government of
the United Slates at Washington, D. C.
In this expectation, I have the honor to be, Mr. Consul, your most
humble and obedient servant,
The Consul of France,
New Orleans, Louisiana.
