Lerdo de Tejada to Citizen Matias Romero, Envoy Extraordinary and, January 22, 1866

[Translation.]

I have received the duplicate of your note, No. 554, of the 6th of November last, containing a copy of Mr. Seward’s to you, on the 3d of November, in relation to duties collected by the governor and military commander of the State of Guenero from citizens of the United States who said they had paid them once to the French when they first occupied that port.

I have also received the original note, No. 629, 1st of December following, in which you inform me that you had sent my note of the 28th October previous, on that subject, to the Department of State.

Notwithstanding the particular reasons the governor of Guerrero informed you he had for collecting those dues, stating that he was forced to do so in punishment of the course of the persons from whom the duties were collected, and assuring that in the future no custom-house duties should be collected twice, Mr. Seward said he hoped the money would be returned to those citizens of the United States by the authorities of the port of Acapulco.

As this business belongs to the treasury department, I have sent copies of your note, No. 554, and Mr. Seward’s to that department, to decide the case according to the evidence of the enclosed documents.

Accept the protects of my attentive consideration.