Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1875, Volume II

No. 411.
Mr. Fish to Mr. Foster.

Department of State,
Washington, January 14, 1875.

No. 178.]

Sir: Your dispatch No. 224, of the 20th ultimo, has been received. The information which it contains may be regarded as satisfactory in respect to Messrs. Watkins and Morgan. The Department, however, is not satisfied as to the necessity for the continued delay in executing the convicted murderers of the Rev. Mr. Stephens, especially as the ease is understood to have been within the control of the federal government, at least since the appeal of the convicts which is referred to. It should be borne in mind that an unreasonable delay is virtually a denial of justice.

I am, &c.,

HAMILTON FISH.