Señor Allan A. Burton to The Secretary of Interior and Foreign Affairs , of the United States of Colombia, September 11, 1865

Mr. Burton to Señor Perez

The undersigned had the satisfaction to learn from the note of his excellency, the secretary of the interior and foreign relations of the United States of Colombia, dated on February 16th, 1865, that the convenient measures had been taken anew in relation to the firing into the steamer Antioquia, at Magangue, on March 9,1864, to which it was his disagreeable duty to call the attention of the Colombian government by his communications of May 4th, June 4th, October 15th, 1864, and January 20th, 1865.

Resting assured that the authors and agents of this cruel and unjustifiable act would receive due punishment, the undersigned has refrained from further obtruding the matter on the notice of his excellency. He has, however, lately learned, with painful surprise, that Señor Julian J. Berrios, the officer who ordered the assault on that boat, filled for three or four months afterwards the office of contador general of Bolivar, discharging its duties in the capital of that State, riding out daily and publicly in the carriage of the president himself; and, moreover, that he was continued in the office of governor of Magangue, the scene of his former barbarous conduct, until November last, and is now going at large unmolested. The simple statement of these scandalous facts dispenses with all comment. The undersigned therefore confines himself, in accordance with the positive orders of his government, to repeating the expectation that condign punishment will be speedily inflicted on Señor Berrios, his agents and accomplices.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his excellency Señor Perez the assurance of his very high consideration.