Mr. Seward to Mr. Van Limburg.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your notes of yesterday and of this date on the subject of the proceedings of Major General Butler with reference to the consul of the Netherlands at New Orleans. The first of these communications presents several points which merit special notice, but I prefer to reserve a reply to them in detail until I shall have received information in regard to the instructions upon the subject which you expect from your government.

In answer to your note of this date, I have to remark that, in conformity [Page 631] with that conciliatory disposition which it has been my purpose to show, and which you very liberally acknowledge, I have no objection to your writing to the consul that it is the President’s expectation that he will resume and continue in the discharge of his official functions until there shall be further occasion for him to relinquish them.

I avail myself of this occasion, sir, to offer to you a renewed assurance of my very high consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Mr. Roest Van Limburg, &c.,&c., &c.