Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.
Washington , April 12, 1869.
[740] Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3d instant, relative to the fitting out at Chester, Pennsylvania, of the steamer *Florida, which the chargé d’affaires of Hayti had advised the Department of State was for the service of the enemies of his government, and whose clearance, therefore, he asked might be prevented; and you request this Department to cause inquiry to be made, and to adopt such measures as are proper in the premises. In reply, I have to inform you that a copy of your communication was transmitted to the collector at Philadelphia, with instructions to report if there were any grounds for the suspicion entertained by the Haytian charge, and be vigilant to enforce the provisions of the act of 20th April, 1818.
On the 8th instant the collector made his report, stating that he had fully advised the commanding officer of the revenue-steamer Seward what course to pursue, and had also communicated with the assistant [Page 727] surveyor at Chester in relation to the matter, a copy of whose letter was inclosed, and herewith I transmit copies of these documents. I also inclose you a copy of the instructions of this Department to the collector of Philadelphia, of this day’s date, directing him, if the case demanded it, to take the bond provided by the first section of the act above cited. With great respect,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Hon. Hamilton Fish,
Secretary of State.