No. 1., August 29, 1862.

No. 1.

Mr.Consul: On the 14th of March last we bought of Messrs. Roman & Olivier, agents of the St. James sugar refinery, on account of Mr. L. H. Richard, a French citizen residing at Paris, forty-one barrels of white sugar. We bought likewise, of the same house, and on account of the same person, forty-six barrels, on the 24th of March, and two hundred and one barrels on the 3d of April following. These two hundred and eighty-eight barrels were placed on storage in the warehouse of Messrs. Laure & Le Blanc, Toulouse street, at a price agreed on beforehand for the said storage.

Having received from Mr. Richards instructions to send him funds, we endeavored to get rid of the sugars. Great was our astonishment on learning from Messrs. Laure & Le Blanc that, according to orders received from the customhouse authorities of the United States in our city, they could not give up those sugars without a special permit from the collector of customs. One of our partners went at different times to Mr. Gray, deputy collector, to inquire of him what he intended to do with those articles. Mr. Gray always replied that he was expecting by every steamer an answer from Washington, and that until then it was impossible to give us a positive answer.

Mr. Dennison, the collector of the port, on being consulted this week by this same partner of ours, replied that he expected very soon an answer from Washington to the letter which he had sent in regard to these sugars, but that he could not deliver them to us until he had received permission from his government.

We have taken the liberty, Mr. Consul, of addressing you this letter with a view of acquainting you with all these facts which concern a French citizen now out of this country.

The 288 barrels above mentioned represent a value of five thousand seven hundred and eight dollars and forty-six cents, the amount expended in the purchase of the sugar. The favor which this article enjoys in our market commands for it at present a profit of at least twenty per cent., and it is greatly to be feared that Mr. Richard will lose not only this profit, but even a part of the principal, if this unjust and illegal seizure, which prevents us from disposing of those sugars, is kept up a few days longer.

Be pleased to accept, &c.,

[Translation]

Twenty-five hogsheads of sugar, marked “Esperance,” weighing 33,800 pounds, stored in the “Whitehead” warehouse on the 17th of June, 1862, by Goodchaux Brothers.

We went to the house of Mr. Dennison, the collector of customs in this city, to obtain the delivery of said sugar, whereupon the said Mr. Dennison replied that he had written to Washington for this.

After waiting nearly two months we have not yet obtained the delivery of the said sugar, as the collector tells us he has not yet received any answer to his letter.

The sugar is worth at this time ten cents a pound, and we are in a position to use the proceeds of said sugar very advantageously. Moreover, if the sugar is kept still longer in warehouse the price and the weight may diminish.

Now we ask all the advantages of the market from this time until its delivery, and, also, compensation for all losses which may occur in consequence of the detention of said sugar