No. 704.
Mr. Preston to Mr. Bayard.

[Translation.]

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Hayti, has the honor to bring to the attention of the honorable Secretary of State of the United States the following papers relative to the capture of the steamer Haytian Republic, which he has received by the last mail from Port au Prince. They are: (1) Procès verbal;* (2) notice of blockade; (3) reply of Mr. Thompson.

The undersigned will make it his duty to transmit to the honorable Secretary of State all the other papers of this procedure, which he, hopes to receive by the next mail.

[Page 994]

The undersigned awaits the receipt of the entire set of papers relating to the affair before submitting to the honorable Secretary of State his full views on the question.

And while awaiting this new communication, he hopes that the honorable Secretary of State of the United States, especially in view of the very grave declarations of certain witnesses contained in the subjoined paper (marked Annex No. 1), will suspend all decisions in the matter.

The undersigned, etc.,

Stephen Preston.
  1. See inclosure to Document No. 682, ante, p. 963.
  2. See Document No. 664, ante, p. 929.
  3. See Document No. 664, ante, p. 929.