FORMOSA AND MANILA. 147 



From the Governor General of the Philippine Islands to Captain Abbot. 



[Translation.] 



Manila, August 14, 1854. 



My Dear Sir: I have received your commurjication of the 12th instant, informing me that 

 Commodore M. C. Perry, commanding the United States East India squadron, has confided to 

 you, among other commissions, to procure information relative to the state of the case pending 

 with reference to the assassination committed on the persons of two American citizens in the 

 month of March of last year at the rope-walk at Santa Mesa, and asking of me that I would 

 give you the information sought. Since the day in which this very sad affair took place, the 

 courts have not ceased in their investigation and inquiries ; arriving at such result that I am 

 ahle to say to you that if it is true, as the United States consul has told you, that some persons 

 have heen put at liberty who were in the first place believed to be culpable, it is not less true 

 that others have recently been legally condemned to various terms of years of labor, in chains, 

 with other penalties included in the sentence. To my Queen's government, which, by royal 

 order of 16th June of last year, demanded the result of the investigations which, with great 

 zeal, were made by the courts, I have transmitted some time since the sentence passed by the 

 supreme court of these islands, and I do not doubt that the government of the United States 

 have already full notice of the same. 



The indication which was made to my antecessor, as the consul has informed you, and 

 which you now propose, respecting the propriety of offering a reward, to see if by this method 

 may be apprehended the two fugitive criminals, you will understand that it could not produce 

 better (more) results than is offered by an administration zealous for the observance of the laws 

 and for the just punishment of criminals ; and in this opinion have participated the country- 

 men resident here, and those allied to the victims, for otherwise they would have repaired as 

 interested parties to the courts. These courts have established and judged the case. The 

 judges have spared no legal method of investigation, and you may rest assured that they will 

 continue to fulfil their mission for the punishment of the two presumed criminals, the only 

 ones which they have not been able to find, but who will suffer the penalty they merit if they 

 are still in the islands and have not escaped abroad. 



I will not conclude without giving you my sincere thanks for the delicate attention manifested 



in your offer to take charge of such correspondence as I may have to send to Hong Kong for 



the mail, which leaves that port for Europe on the 22d instant. 



God guard you many years. 



EL MAKQUES DE NOVALECHES. 

 Captain Joel Abbot, 



Commander of the United States ship Macedonian. 



From the Governor General of the Philippine Islands to Captain Abbot. 



[Translation.] 



Manila, August 14, 1854. 

 Sir : I have received your attentive communication of the 12th instant, and with it a copy of 

 the letter addressed to Commodore M. C. Perry, by the commander of the United States trans- 

 port ship "Southampton," giving particulars relative to the six natives of these islands tha 



