Mr. Seward to Mr. Romero
Sir: I had the honor to receive your esteemed note of the 10th ultimo, in which you transmit a copy of a document containing a proposal made in 1864 by the minister of finance of Mexico to General F. J. Herron, then in command of the United States forces at Brownsville, to close the port of Matamoros to foreign commerce, so as to prevent the exchange by the late rebellious States of their cotton for munitions of war. Though the offer and the cause for it have passed, the United States government cannot hut appreciate this additional evidence of sympathy from the government of the Mexican republic.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of my high consideration.
Señor Don Matias Romero, &c., &c., &c.