Mr. Hay to Baron Fava.

No. 587.]

Excellency: I. have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s esteemed favor of May 6, in relation to the cruel lynching at Tallulah.

In answer to your inquiry as to “what measures the Federal Government intends to take in order to settle this unfortunate matter,” and to the assurance of your faith in the efficient action of the Department for the prevention in future of any repetition of such atrocious outrages, and for the application of remedial measures to the failure on the part of the Louisiana authorities to do justice, it should hardly seem necessary to testify to your excellency the unqualified condemnation with which the Government of the United States views all such acts of lawless violence, whether committed against the subjects of other States residing in the United States or against its own citizens.

Your excellency is advised of the dual nature of our Government, and of the defect in the Federal laws, which the President has sought, so far as lies in his power, to have remedied, and of the prompt and energetic measures adopted by the Department of State with a view to the punishment, by the only competent authorities, of the authors of the crime under discussion.

It having been shown that Italian subjects were slain by said lynching and that there has been a failure on the part of the only competent [Page 723] authorities to indict or bring the guilty parties to trial in any form, the President feels that a case has been established that should be submitted to the consideration of Congress, with a view to the relief of the families of Italian subjects who lost their lives by lawless violence, which will accordingly be done on the reassembling of Congress in December next.

Accept, etc.,

John Hay.