altogether confined to one side. We had something to answer for in this regard, also, in America.

I then observed that I had nothing of a business character to bring to his notice. It was a noteworthy change in our situation that now it seldom happened to me to be obliged to encroach upon the secretary's time. The only thing that I thought of at the moment related to a despatch I had just received touching the payment of the instalment of the Japanese indemnity, and my position as qualified to receive the money whenever it should be ready. Of this matter, which was evidently new to him, his lordship made a note, and I took my leave.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

SIR: I have received from Mr. West the promised information relating to the liberation of Colonel Burke and others, of which he had given me notice by tel egraph.

It appears from these papers that the authorities have consented to release Colonel Burke, Daniel J. Mykins, Patrick J. Condon, Stephen Farrell, Michael Kirwin, and James E. McDermot, solely on the ground that the government of the United States has taken an interest in their fate, and in a spirit of courtesy and conciliation. They adhere to the belief that they were more or less guilty, and for that reason they impose conditions of immediate departure under super

vision.

To this proceeding Colonel Burke and Patrick J. Condon take exception, and decline to abide by the conditions.

I have desired Mr. West, in all such cases, to make no effort to influence these decisions in one way or the other. In cases where the parties decide to remain, he will continue his services in their behalf with the authorities on every favorable opportunity, as before.

I cannot help thinking, from the tone of some of the letters, that disappointment in not being able to raise questions between the governments is quite as strong a motive as injured innocence. Those in whose favor are the strongest presumptions have not been the ones inclined to make difficulties about being released.

I have heretofore acted on the presumption that Mr. West had been steadily furnishing the department with copies of his correspondence with the authorities and myself.

But as I now learn from him that he has not done so,.I shall take an early opportunity to supply that deficiency.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

[Extract.]

No. 1239.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 14, 1866.

SIR: Mr. Fox, who arrived in the Miantonomoh at Spithead on the 23d of June, remained in London only a few days, during which time an opportunity was furnished to the officers of the admiralty, as well as citizens generally, to visit the vessel. It has excited a very great interest in all classes. I procured for him a presentation to the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, in the course of which they expressed a desire to go down to see it.

At that moment Mr. Fox had made his arrangements to cross in it at once to Cherbourg, and to go himself from thence to Paris. But in consequence of this application he directed it to return to the mouth of the Thames, and devolved upon me the duty of superintending the details of the projected visit. This is a business with which I am little familiar. I have, however, made the necessary arrangements, in conjunction with the officers of the squadron, to receive the Princes and their suite on board to-day at half past one o'clock.

I have likewise been applied to by several very distinguished persons, in a manner which seemed to render it proper to include them in the party, with the consent of the Prince of Wales.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 28th of June, No. 1223, in which you announce the resignation of Earl Russell's government. It pleases us to have your opinion that the change of ministers will not materially affect the diplomatic interests of the United States. Of course we shall expect you to wait, with entire respect and kindness, the organization of the new government before pressing upon it the matters upon which you have lately received special instructions.

I think it necessary, however, to add that it is deemed highly important here that the earliest possible attention of the incoming ministry shall be recalled to the points relating to our matters in Ireland.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c, &c., &c.

*

*

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

*

No. 1805.]

Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, July 18, 1866.

SIR: I enclose herewith a communication from Thomas Hynes, late of Kansas, who, it appears, has been arrested on suspicion of being engaged in the Fe

nian movement in Ireland, and is now detained in Mount Joy prison, Dublin. I will thank you to invite the attention of her Majesty's government to the matter, and to request that an investigation may be made at their earliest convenience, with a view to the liberation of Hynes, if the facts are as stated.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,'

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Mr. Hynes to President Johnson.

MOUNT JOY PRISON, Dublin, June 25, 1866. HONORABLE SIR: Having applied in vain to the representatives of our government here for that protection to which, as citizens of the great republic, we feel justly entitled, we call upon you, Mr. President, knowing that you, of all men, are the person who has it in his power to aid us. To me it is incomprehensible why the United States authorities permit us to remain the victims of a foreign despotism-treated as the vilest criminals, shut up in convict cells, and laughed at if we speak of our adopted country. I have committed no crime or violated no law, and I am sure that the same is the case with scores of my fellowcitizens whom I daily see, but to whom it is a crime to speak.

Mr. West, the United States consul here in Dublin, told me that his position had become a very humiliating one, since all the requests and demands which he made were made with the foreknowledge that they would be refused. This very fact is enough to make an American blush. We are told plainly that we are subjects of her Majesty-documents to the contrary notwithstanding. I am a cripple-never bore arms, and never can. Should my imprisonment be prolonged I will be ruined for life. I hope, Mr. President, you will, as you have heretofore done, remember the suffering, and at the same time vindicate our national honor.

SIR: I give you, for your information, a copy of the *correspondence which has taken place between this department and Mr. Portman, chargé d'affaires in Japan.

You will please ask an early interview with her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, and give him, for the information of his government, a copy of my despatch to Mr. Portman.

I will thank you to communicate to me the decision which the British government may make upon the question.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

SIR: The new government having passed through the necessary re-elections of some of its members, is now completely organized. Very little interest is, * For enclosures see correspondence with Japan.

however, attached to the proceedings of Parliament, as it is understood on all hands that no question will be raised at this session. All the measures brought forward by the last ministry, which have been more or less matured, will be quietly shelved, so that it will be in the power of both parties to take a fresh start next year. It is expected that the prorogation will take place on or about the 8th of August, after which the government may be able to go on without difficulty until March of next year.

Meanwhile efforts are quietly in progress to bring about pacification on the continent. The great success of Prussia leaves nothing to be done but to define the terms to which Austria will be obliged to submit. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

*

*

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

*

No. 1243.]

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 21, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to report to you the payment to me by the lord's commissioners of the treasury of the sum of £27,802 1s. 8d. on account of the share of the United States in the first instalment of the Japanese indemnity. The authority to act in this matter was conferred upon me in your despatches No. 1743 of the 23d of April, No. 1783 of the 16th, and No. 1792 of the 26th of June, 1866. In further execution of the instructions therein contained, I have this day deposited the draft on the Bank of England received for the above-named sum, with Messrs. Baring Brothers & Company, to be carried to the credit of the Secretary of State.

Copies of the correspondence on the subject are herewith transmitted.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Lord Stanley to Mr. Adams.

FOREIGN OFFCE, July 14, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have ascertained that the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury have either given, or are about to give instructions to the paymaster general to pay to you a sum of twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and two pounds one shilling and eight pence, (£27,802 1s. 8d.,) representing a sum of one hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred and thirty-three dollars and one-third,-viz.: special claim, $23, 3334; general share, $107,500, making $130,8333—in respect of the first instalment of five hundred thousand dollars, ($500,000,) received from the Japanese government on account of the indemnity; and that as the lords of the treasury are not informed of the precise market value of the dollar when the amount of the instalment was first paid into the treasury chest, they have temporarily adopted the British official rate of exchange, with a view to a final adjustment of any fractional difference in the rate of exchange being made when the actual market value of the dollar has been ascertained at the several periods of payment.

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

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq,, &c., &c., &c.

STANLEY.

No. 10,001.]

No. 10,898.]

Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Adams.

TREASURY CHAMBERS, July 14, 1866.

SIR: I am commanded by the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury to acquaint you that the paymaster general has been authorized to pay you the sum of £27,802 1s. Ed. on account of the share of the first instalment of the Japanese indemnity, payable to the American government.

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

His Excellency CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS,

GEORGE A. HAMILTON.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States.

Mr. Adams to Lord Stanley.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 16, 1866.

MY LORD: I have had the honor to receive your lordship's note of the 14th instant, informing me of the mode in which her Majesty's government proposes to pay over the share of the first instalment of the indemnity paid by the Japanese government assigned to the

United States.

I shall take pleasure in transmitting the information to my government.

I pray your lordship, &c., &c.,

The Right Hon. Lord STANLEY, &c., &c., &c.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Hamilton.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 16, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your letter advising me of the decision of the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury, authorizing the paymaster general to pay over to me, as the agent of the government of the United States, the sum of £27,802 18. 8d. on account of the share of the first instalment of the Japanese indemnity, payable to that government.

I shall be prepared to receive the same at any moment that you may do me the favor to designate the time and the form which may be requisite for the completion of the transaction. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

G. A. HAMILTON, Esq., Treasury Chambers.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Mr. Foster to Mr. Adams.

PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Whitehall, July 20, 1866.

SIR: By direction of the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury, I have the honor to forward to your excellency a draft payable to your order for the sum of £27,802 1s. 8d., being the portion due to the United States of America on account of the Japanese indemnity money.

The draft, on being indorsed by your excellency, can be paid to your bankers, who, on presenting it at the Bank of England, will at once receive credit for the amount. With the highest consideration, I have the honor to be, your excellency's most obedient servant, M. H. FOSTER.

His Excellency CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Foster.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 21, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your letter of the 20th instant, covering a draft on the Bank of England, payable to my order, for the sum of £27,802, Is.