But from the note which to this end you were pleased to address to me day before yesterday, and from the answer which I made to it on the day following, it appear that you cannot at present decide as to the allegation of Major-General Butler, whilst I, until the contrary be proved, must consider our consul as acting entirely in good faith and as being perfectly in the right to receive from the hands of the agent of the firm of Hope & Co., of Amsterdam, a deposit for that firm. There was not, according to the law of nations and universally received usages, any obligation on the Government of the United States to verify the contents of the kegs, which the agents of the house of Hope had declared to him to contain 800,000 Mexican dollars.

In this state of affairs, which your sense of justice will hasten, as you have assured me, to put an end to as soon as possible, our consul would find himself, without some new proof of conciliation and equity on your part, in a false position. Your note of the 5th says that his consular commission and the exequatur of the President (improperly taken out of his possession by Major-General Butler) will be returned his functions. I have no reason to suppose, sir, that you have used this term with any positive intention; therefore I flatter myself that, while reserving to yourself any ulterior action against the consul, you will not object to considering him, as I do, and as justice considers every man against whom nothing has been proved, as Honorable and as acting in good faith; and that consequently you will not refuse to "invite" him, through my interposition, to resume his functions, while adding that you cannot consider him otherwise than as acting in good faith and as Honorable until the contrary be proved, and while waiting for the report of the commissioner whom you are going to send to New Orleans.

I have the honor, Mr. Secretary of State, to request you to be pleased also, as soon as possible, to honor me with your reply in this regard; and I profit by this new opportunity to reiterate to you the assurances of my high consideration.

ROEST VAN LIBMURG.

[Inclosure Numbers 8.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 7, 1862.

Mr. ROEST VAN LIMBURG, &C.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday and of this date on the subject of the proceedings of Major-General Butler with reference to the consul of the Netherlands at New Orleans. The first of these communications presents several points which merit special notice, but I prefer to reserve a reply to them in detail until I shall have received information in regard to the instructions upon the subject which you expect from your Government.

In answer to your note of this date I have to remark that in conformity with that conciliatory disposition which it has been my purpose to show and which you very liberally acknowledge, I have no objection to your writing to the consul that it is the President's expectation that he will resume and continue in the discharge of his official functions until there shall be further occasion for him to relinquish them.

I avail myself of this occasion, sir, to offer to you a renewed assurance of my very high consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.