Mr. Seward to Mr. de Stoeckl
Sir: I have the honor to communicate a copy of a telegram from San Fran-cisco, of the 15th instant, addressed to the Assistant Secretary of State by the Hon. John Conness and Mr. Benjamin Holliday, the former, as you are aware, a senator of the United States from California. This telegram represents that a steamer will be despatched for Sitka, in Russian America, early in next month, and asks whether United States citizens may ship merchandise on board of her.
As the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty for the cession of Russian America only awaits the arrival of the ratification of his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, which you have already announced to me, and which is understood to be on its way hither, it is hoped that you may feel warranted in giving such instructions to the imperial authorities at Sitka as will enable this department to give a favorable answer to the inquiry above referred to.
I avail myself of this occasion to offer to you a renewed assurance of my very high consideration.
Mr. Edward de Stoeckl, &c., &c., &c.