of the month an armed schooner had sailed from New Orleans for Texas, without papers from the Mexican Consul, and he demanded the interposition of the Government to pre- vent such breaches of neutrality. In consequence of this apphcation, the Secretary (Mr. Forsyth) addressed a cir- cular to various United States' Attorneys, directing them to " prosecute all violations of those laws of the United States which have been enacted for the purpose of pre- serving peace and of fulfilling the obligations of treaties with foreign nations." The cold generality of this cir- cular indicated the temper and wishes of its author, which were no doubt perfectly understood by the prosecuting officers to whom the order was addressed. Notwith- standing the publicity and notoriety of the " violations,"
not an individual was ever punished for participating in them, nor was an officer of the Government ever dismissed or censured for treating the circular as a mere matter of form. A few months after the date of the circular, Mr. N. C. Read, United States' District Attorney in Ohio, addressed