Mr. Seward to Mr. Plumb.
Sir: The department has been informed by Mr. Black, the consul at Mexico, in a dispatch of the 29th ultimo, of the death of Mr. John Bra-niff, a citizen of the United States, from wounds inflicted by a band of robbers at a bridge on the Puella branch of the Mexico and Vera Cruz railway. Although such events may and do happen in every country, they are unfortunately common in Mexico, and their frequency is no doubt owing to the comparative impunity of the offenders. All that can be expected in such cases, when no officer of the government may be concerned in the act, is that the foreign government shall in good faith exert all its authority to bring the aggressors to justice.
You will make an application to the Mexican government to this effect in the case of Mr. Braniff.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Edward L. Plumb, Esq., &c., &c., &c.