Seňor Don Gabriel Garcia y Tassara to William H. Seward, April 5, 1864

Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward.

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, has received information of the arrival in this country of an officer of the Spanish army, named Bon Jose Agustin Arguelles, escaped from the island of Cuba, under the charge of having sold negroes into slavery.

The circumstances of the case seem to be as follows: The above-named officer was, in November last, lieutenant governor of the district of Colon, and effected, whilst in this capacity, the seizure of a large expedition of African negroes. The government, pleased with his zeal, paid him a large sum as his share of the prize money usually allowed to the captors of such expeditions. The officer subsequently obtained a leave of absence of twenty days to proceed to New York, upon representing that the object of his journey was to purchase a Spanish journal published in that city, but since his departure it has been discovered that he and other officers of the district of Colon retained and sold into slavery one hundred and forty-one of the negroes captured by them. The superior court of the island, having exclusive jurisdiction over such causes, has taken cognizance of this case, and requires the presence of Arguelles before it to insure the prompt liberation of the one hundred and forty-one victims. Without such presentation it would be very difficult, and at all events it would require a long time, to attain that humane object.

The undersigned is well aware that no extradition treaty exists between the United States and Spain, in virtue of which the surrender of Arguelles to the authorities of Cuba might be obtained. Yet considering the gross and scandalous outrage which has been committed, as well as the interests of humanity at stake in the prompt resolution of this matter, he has not hesitated in submitting the case in this confidential way to the consideration of the United States government, in order to ascertain whether an incident so exceptional could not be met with exceptional measures.

The undersigned has been the more induced to take this step, that he has good reason to believe a similar application to have been made also in a confidential form by the captain general of Cuba.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to the honorable Secretary of State the assurances of his highest coosideration.