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March 25, 1869.

Hon. Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

Sir:

Referring to the letter of Mr. Seward, Secretary of State, of August 14, 1868, to my predecessor, Mr. Evarts, relative to the claim of R. W. Gibbes, under the Treaty with New Granada, of Sept. 10, 1857, I desire to say that before I shall be able to pass upon the question involved, Whether that case was finally decided by the commission organized under that Treaty, it will be necessary for me to know the terms and conditions of the submission of the matter involved in that claim, to the umpire. The extracts from the Journal of the commission, which your Department has referred to me, do not show the facts connected with the submission of the case of Gibbes to the umpire.

I will thank you, therefore, to frunish me with all the information in your possession on that subject.

I would suggest that the original Journal of the commission might as well be sent to this office. I will then be able to inspect it, and get such information from it as I deem necessary to the decision of the case.

I have the honor to be, &c. &c

E. R. Hoar,

Att. Gen.