No. 473.
Mr. Davis to Mr. Bátres.
Washington, May 19, 1883.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 15th instant, in which you apprise me of a telegraphic dispatch, addressed to you on the 12th instant by the minister of foreign relations of Salvador, concerning the seizure of the American ship Ounalaska, on the charge of having unlawfully conveyed arms and munitions of war to Acajutla, for the insurgents at that place. Intelligence of the seizure had already been received here, and the United States minister [Page 747] in Central America had been instructed by telegraph to observe the proceedings in the case.
This Government entertains no doubt that the forms of law will be most scrupulously followed by the competent courts of Salvador, and that the accused parties will be afforded every opportunity to be heard and defended, and that their treatment will conform to the principles of humanity as comports with the international relations of two states so signally friendly as the United States and Salvador. In the absence of details of the occurrence and knowledge of the evidence to justify the seizure, this Government naturally reserves for the present any expression of opinion as to the merits of the case.
Accept, &c.,
Acting Secretary.