Office of the Historian

No. 648.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.

United States Legation in Spain,
Madrid, November 26, 1873. (Received December 23.)
No. 875.]

Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith a copy of a note of this date, which, in compliance with your previous instructions, I addressed to the minister of state, asking for my passports. It was placed in the hands of the minister at the palace this afternoon, a few minutes after 2 o’clock, by the secretary of legation, Mr. Adee.

Mr. Carvajal stated that a communication had been made to me of this date, and desired to know whether it had reached me before my note was sent to him. Mr. Adee replied that up to the moment when he left the legation nothing had been received from his excellency.

Subsequently I informed the minister that, in view of his communication, which was delivered at the legation at half-past 2 p.m., he might defer any reply to my request until it should be renewed, if, unhappily, the negotiation now resumed on fresh bases failed, and I should be constrained again to take the same step.

Your latest instruction on this point, dated yesterday, was not received here until half-past 4 this afternoon.

I am, sir, &c,

D. E. SICKLES.
[Page 960]
[Inclosure in No. 875.]

General Sickles to Mr. José de Carvajal.

Madrid, November 28, 1873.

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, reserving to his Government such observations as it may see fit to make on the several communications addressed to the undersigned by his excellency the minister of state respecting the matter of the Virginius and the penalties inflicted on her crew and passengers, is instructed to terminate his mission and leave Spain, taking with him the archives of this legation. The undersigned has, therefore, to request that his excellency the minister of state will kindly grant him the usual safe-conduct to the Spanish frontier for himself and the secretary of legation, including the household and effects of the undersigned.

The undersigned avails, &c,

D. E. SICKLES.