Henry Stanbery to Hugh McCulloch, 22 December 1866

Dec. 22, 1866. Hon. Hugh McCulloch, Secretary of the Treasury. Sir: I am advised by the District Attorney at New Orleans that he has discontinued the suits against the cotton claimed by Messrs. Levy & Dieter. He informs me, however, that questions have been made as to the liability of those parties to pay the legal costs of the proceedings. Under the peculiar circumstances of the compromise entered into by your Dept. with the claimants, this office deemed it right to direct the discontinuance of those suits. The present question of costs would seem, therefore, to depend upon the terms of your agreement with the claimants. If it did not relieve the claimants from the costs, I have no doubt that the claimants would be required to pay them. I will thank you for information on this point. Respectfully, &c. yours, Henry Stanbery