Mr. Seward to the Marquis de Montholon
Sir: This department has official information that the insurgent commander at Brownsville, in Texas, after the surrender of his superior officer of the insurgent forces and public property in that quarter to the United States, clandestinely transferred to the authorities at Matamoras certain artillery and other articles, a part of those surrendered as aforesaid. As those articles became the property of the United States pursuant to the terms of the surrender, the authorities aforesaid could not acquire any title to them without the consent of this government; it is, consequently, expected that they will be restored. And you will oblige me, and may be instrumental in preventing further difficulties if you should request the officer in command at Matamoras, who may [Page 437] have received the articles, to restore them to the officer of the United States in command at Brownsville, without any delay which can conveniently be avoided.
I avail myself of this occasion, sir, to offer to you an assurance of my very high consideration.
The Marquis de Montholon, &c., &c., &c.