Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1880

No. 326.
Mr. Hunter to Sir Edward Thornton.

Department of State,
Washington, November 18, 1879.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 14th instant, with its inclosures relating to certain Mexican custom-house regulations, and to the imprisonment of the captain of the American steamer Newbern for an alleged violation of them, and stating that you have been instructed by the Marquis of Salisbury to inquire whether the American Government is aware of the existence of the regulations in question, and whether it intends to take any steps to procure their modification or removal.

In reply, I have to inform you that Mr. Foster, the American minister at the city of Mexico, has been instructed to bring the case of the captain of the Newbern to the attention of the Mexican Government, and to ask for an investigation of the facts, with a view of obtaining suitable relief, and to state furthermore that the custom-house regulations referred to in your note are deemed unreasonably and unnecessarily harsh, and this government will remonstrate against them.

I have, &c.,

W. HUNTER.
Acting Secretary.