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"Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Butler, 24th October, 1839." U.S. Congress. House. Africans Taken in the Amistad. 26th Congress., 1st sess., 1840.H. Doc. 185.
The Secretary of State to Mr. Butler
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
Washington, October 24,1839.
SIR: The Spanish minister has applied to this department for its interposition in procuring the release from arrest of Jose Ruiz and Pedro Montes, two Spanish subjects, arrested and imprisoned at the suit of certain Africans. As this appears to be a civil suit before the ordinary local courts of law, the interference asked by the Spanish minister cannot, of course, be afforded; but as the case obviously grows out of the arrival of the Amistad, and the landing of the Africans on board, within our jurisdiction, now under consideration, the President, thinking that your agency might be useful to Messrs. Ruiz and Montes, desires you to put yourself in communication with those gentlemen, and to offer them your advice (and your aid, if necessary) as to any measure which it may be proper for them to take to obtain their release, and any indemnity to which, under our laws, they may be entitled for their arrest and detention.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN FORSYTH.
B. F. BUTLER, Esq.,
Att'y U. S. for South. Dist. of New York.
