of the said gentlemen, asking for Don Magui Puig, principal of the house, and intimating to me that in case of not finding the said person they had orders from the provost-marshal (emanating from General Butler) to take possession of the countinghouse, correspondence, and other papers they should find there. On stating to them that Mr. Puig was temporarily absent, they gave orders to me and other dependents to leave the countinghouse at once, locking it up, and then brought three or four Federal soldiers, who since then occupy the premises without permitting any one to enter them. This act of invasion done with force, on the office of a responstable firm of Spanish merchants, as they the Messrs. Puig Brothers are publicly reputed; the driving into the steet of their dependents (also Spanish subjects), and the unheard-of violation of taking possession of the correspondence, books, papers, and other effects of the said mercantile house, without any notification whatever of the cause of such conduct, cannot be justified, and therefor, it appears entirely an arbitrary act, to which I seriously call your attention. Since this event while the absence of the principal of the house has continued, I have awaited till now to see whether the authorities which ordered such an outrage would decide to restore us to possession of the countinghouse, books, and papers of value it contained; but seeing that, far from that, they kept shut up in that place Federal soldiers, who it is clear to me have already committed a robbery of the private property of one of the dependents, and who probably will go on sacking whatever they find there, without making accounts of their threats to destroy the iron safes unless they received the keys which the absent Mr. Pug has in his possession, I think it my duty to place these facts in your knowledge, begging you in your character as console of Her Catholic Majesty to extend the protection which is due to Spanish subjects so unjustly oppressed, requiring from the competent authority satisfactory clearing up of the injuries done to them.

God, &c.,

FERNANDO DE F. MARTIN.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

NEW ORLEANS, July 30, 1862.

Lieutenant A. F. PUFFER,

Aide-de-Camp of Major General B. F. Butler:

In reply to your note of yesterday the consul of Spain directs me to say to you that even if the MM. Puig were at his disposal it would not be possible for him to gratify General Butler, because it is not his mission nor his custom.

With the greatest respect, &c.,

The VICE CONSUL AD INT. OF H. C. M.

(Certified.)

[Inclosure Numbers 3.-Translation.]

NEW ORLEANS, August 1, 1862.

Senor Don JUAN CALLEJON,

Consul of Spain at New Orleans:

In the exposition which I made to you on the 21st of July last relative to the closing of the office of Messrs. Puig Broghers by the Federal authorities, effected by the chief of police, R. B. Nay, in the name of the provost-marshal, as an order emanating from General Butler,