Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1899

Mr. Hay to Mr. Wu.

Department of State,
Washington, January 23, 1899.

No. 80.]

Sir: Referring to your note of the 21st ultimo, and to mine in reply of the 11th instant, in relation to the detention at New Orleans of Mr. Lei Yok, a Chinese merchant, by the United States custom authorities there, pursuant to the provisions of the Chinese exclusion acts and the Treasury instruction based on the opinion of the Acting Attorney-General of August 21, 1898, I have the honor to inform you that I am in receipt of a letter, dated the 19th instant, from the Attorney-General in acknowledgment of one from this Department, sending him for his information a copy of the correspondence in the case.

In his letter the Attorney-General says he finds no ground to reopen the question in the case.

Accept, etc.,

John Hay.