160 Series III Volume II- Serial 123 - Union Letters, Orders, Reports
Page 160 | CORRESPONDENCE,ETC. |
The purchases of these sugars were effected at various times, ranging from January to March last, paid for at the time of purchase in the usual manner in which such business is carried on here by foreign commercial houses when purchasing for account of distant parties, i.e., by the proceeds of bills of exchange drawn by the purchaser here upon the bona fide owner of the produce.
These transactions were strictly mercantile, and feeling assured by the proclamation issued by you under date of May 1 - had they had any fears before - that this, the property of foreigners, was safe and would be accorded that protection as stated in the proclamation had been granted heretofore to such property under the U. S. laws, the purchasers of these sugars were anxious to ship them at a time when other such shipments were being made, but by your order, as stated above, were prevented, there entailing upon the foreign owners great loss. But as the undersigned are anxious to waive all past proceedings they beg that the order not permitting the removal of the produce in question be rescinded, and that the sugars be at the disposal of the purchasers to do with them as they may see fit, or that the undersigned, if compatible, in consideration of the interests concerned, be placed in possession of the facts which caused such order to be issued, the enforcing and existence of which materially retards and stops the legitimate business of our countrymen.
We beg to remain, sir, your obedient servants,
GEORGE COPPELL,
Her Britannic Majesty's Acting Consul.
CTE. MEJAN,
French Consul.
N. M. BENACHI,
Greek Consul.
[Indorsement No. 6.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, New Orleans, La., June 12, 1862.
Messrs. GEORGE COPPELL, claiming to be Her Britannic Majesty's Acting Consul; E. A. MEJAN, French Consul; N. M. BENACHI, Greek Consul:
GENTLEMEN: In the matter of the sugars in possession of Mr. Covas, who is the only party known to the U. S.authorities, I have examined with care the statement you have sent me.
I had information, the sources of which you will not expect me to disclose, that Mr. Covas had been engaged in buying Confederate notes, giving for them sterling exchange, thus transferring abroad the credit of the States in the rebellion and enabling those bills of credit to be converted into bullion to be used there, as it has been, for the purpose of purchasing arms and munitions of war; that Mr. Covas was one of and the agent of an association or company of Greek merchants residing here, in London, and in Havana, who had set apart a large fund for this enterprise; that these Confederate notes so purchases by Mr. Covas had been used in the purchase of sugars and cotton, of which the sugars in question, in value almost $200,000, are a part.
I directed Mr. Covas to hold these sugars until the matter could be investigated. I am satisfied of the substantial truth of this information. Mr. Covas" own books will show the important facts that he sold sterling exchange for Confederate Treasury notes and then bought these sugars with the notes. Now, this is claimed to be
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