Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward.
The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, had the honor to make known to the honorable Secretary of State of the United States, under date of 9th instant, that he had sent advices to the captain general of Cuba of the note which the day before had been addressed to him by the Department of State advising him that, according to reports he had received, the steamer Virgin was being got ready, along with another vessel, at New Orleans, for the purpose of taking from a point near Apalachicola, Florida, a cargo of negroes, who were to be landed on the island of Cuba.
The captain general of Cuba, on acknowledging receipt of said communication, makes known that he has taken the necessary precautions, so that if such vessel and the other that was to follow should really reach those shores with the purpose attributed to them they would be captured. The captain general, however, did not think said vessels would present themselves on the coasts of the island of Cuba.
The undersigned avails of this occasion to reiterate to the honorable Secretary of State the assurances of his highest consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.