Mr. King to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of despatch No. 36, under date of May 24; and, referring to certain instructions addressed to me, in answer to my despatch No. 53, of the 23d of April, I hasten to say that these instructions have not yet come to hand, and it would appear from the number (36) of the despatch now acknowledged that two of the series from the State Department, to wit, Nos. 34 and 35, are missing; the last received previous to the present one being No. 33, of March 23d. Under the circumstances I venture to request that duplicates of Nos. 34 and 35 be at once forwarded to me. Awaiting their arrival, I will act upon the suggestion of the Judge Advocate General referred to in your last, and endeavor to obtain from St. Marie, who is still at Velletri, the further and fuller statement which the judge deems desirable. St. Marie answers exactly to the description given of him in Judge Holt’s letter, and is no doubt the same person. He adheres confidently to his original statement in regard to Surratt, who, at the present speaking, is with his company at Veroli, some forty miles from Rome. * * * * *
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.