ernment would make to the American government on the subject of naturalization. In reply he informs them of the intention of this government to come to an understanding with that of America, according to its request. The remarks of Count Bismarck implied that the British government is inclined to follow the example of the Purssian, and that the settlement of the question here will be virtually a settlement for Great Britain. In the prosecution of this business to a settlement there is need of great patience, as the several departments interested in the measure have to be consulted and to propose their difficulties and desired modifications. Some time must therefore pass away before the negotiations can be closed. SIR: Your dispatch of the 23d of January, No. 33, has been received. I thank you for your attention manifested in informing me what has passed between the governments of Great Britian and Prussia concerning the question on the naturalization laws existing between the United States and those two governments respectively. I have informally suggested to the British minister here that a proceeding in a form of mutual or common legislation in the two countries would be more simple and probably easier than formal negotiations, inasmuch as there are so many other questions which urgently require settlement between the United States and Great Britain besides that of the conflicting naturalization laws. Perhaps it would be well for you to speak in the same sense to the British ambassador at Berlin. Is counsel, special or otherwise, employed for Nagle, and how? Tele graph. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. [Telegram per cable.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Usual counsel engaged. No reply yet to dispatch 14th December. Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. [Telegram per cable.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 18, 1868. Let special bar be employed for Nagle. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 1539.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: On Saturday last, the 15th instant, I had a favorable opportu nity of meeting Lord Stanley and of communicating to him the substance of your dispatch No. 2118, of the 13th of January. The chief portions of it I gave to him in your own words, especially the closing paragraph, precluding any inference that the suggestion that preceded was to be considered a proposal to reopen a negotiation. His lordship said that his desire, as I must know, had always been so strong to arrive at some terms of agreement with us, that if he could see a way to it he should not stand upon ceremony in the order of initiating it. With respect to one of the subjects referred to in the dispatch, that of allegiance, he believed the feeling was universal in England that some change of the law was necessary to meet the change of circumstances. If there were inconvenience to us likely to spring from it on this side, it was not less true that equal inconvenience might result in certain cases to them on the other. Some had actually been experienced during the late war. In the instructions that had been given to Mr. Thornton, the new minister, he had included a proposal, in a friendly spirit, to engage in any consultation that might have for its object the arrangement of all existing difficulties on this head. I said I was very glad to learn this; for just at the present moment there was a more pressing need of removing uneasiness on this score than on any other. We then went into some general conversation upon the difficulties in the way of a definite settlement of this right of expatriation among the great nations of the world, in the course of which his lordship started the idea of some commission of eminent legal representatives of the four powers most interested in the question to devise and recommend some common system for all. I expressed my own willingness to favor this notion, and the more that our difficulties were even more serious with Germany on this subject than with England. Passing 'from this, however, his lordship expressed his doubts whether it would be found more easy to come to an understanding by accumulating all the different topics recited in your dispatch in one heap than by treating each separately. The term "conference," too, was so general that he could not yet quite affix a practical measure to it. He should be very glad to learn more fully what idea it was intended to convey. I said that I would, if he pleased, communicate this wish to you, it being understood that thereby no implication could be raised adverse to the observance of the precautionary final paragraph in your dispatch. His lordship assented to this reserve. So it was understood between us that, saving all notion of the presentation of any overture thereby, I was to ask if you would be willing to convey to his mind more fully an idea of what was intended under the term "conference." I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. No. 1540.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the reception of dispatch from the department numbered 2128; also, of two telegrams by the cable, dated the 17th and 18th instant. The directions given to employ a special bar in defense of Colonel Nagle have been at once transmitted to Mr. West, at Dublin. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. No. 1543.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the reception of dispatches from the department numbered from 2129 to 2132, inclusive. The not unexpected event of the resignation by the Earl of Derby of his place as first minister of the Crown, was announced in both houses of Parliament yesterday. It was also declared that Mr. D'Israeli had been charged by the Queen with the duty of forming a new ministry, and Parliament, in order to give him the time requisite to complete the arrangements, adjourned until Friday. It is thought that this result has been somewhat accelerated by the proposal of both houses to enter at once upon the consideration of the question of Ireland. On that subject the government was not understood to have been fully prepared to initiate a policy, and much less to defend it, with its chief in the upper house utterly disabled from appearing. So wide is the difference of opinion regarding the principal question involved, the treatment of the established church, that it will task. all the powers of the new chief to bring his friends to harmonize in any practical measure of change. Yet he has gained so much reputation for his success in grappling with an equally difficult problem in the extension of the franchise, that it is not deemed impossible that he may succeed also in this. The opposition, although not yet reorganized, is thought to be on the way to consolidation. It is not their policy to press too hard, however, so long as the remaining measures necessary to define the franchise and representation in Scotland and Ireland are not completed. There is not much more of union of sentiment on the church question on one side than on the other; so that much time may be spent in the discussion before any issue shall be arrived at, and even then it may be reached in a manner which will not unsettle the ministry. The change going on in the ancient forms of this government in this respect may thus become more and more apparent. Instead of representing a party, the cabinet more nearly approximates the popular sense acting on the representatives of both sides indiscriminately. The development of this new feature in the British constitution will soon be a matter for interesting speculation. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. No. 1546.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: You will receive in due course, from the consul at Dublin, Mr. West, the reports of the proceedings at Sligo in the trial of Colonel Nagle. It appears that in consequence of a failure to obtain a sufficient number of aliens to constitute half of the jury, it has been decided to change the venue, and to postpone the case to a future day. All the necessary measures for the defense of Colonel Nagle, specified in your instructions, were adopted by Mr. West, and he was authorized by me to draw upon the department for the amount required to defray the expense. At the same time I have cautioned him to exercise his discretion in regard to the extent of his engagements, for the sake of security against exorbitant demands upon the national treasury. The trials in the five or six other cases of prisoners taken from the Jacmel will now probably proceed. Reports of these will be forwarded to the department in proper course. I have not thought it worth the expense to employ any one to watch the proceedings, as the reports of Mr. Adair, at Dublin, varied little from those obtained through the public press. The government have liberated several of the prisoners and offered terms to more, but they were not willing to abide by the conditions prescribed. I have never considered it proper to take official cognizance of these proceedings, as they depend for their validity upon the voluntary waiver of those claims by the parties to which alone it is my duty to respond. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. P. S. Since the foregoing was written, the newspapers announce the postponement of the remaining trials. No. 2139.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 5th of February, No. 1531, which relates to the case of Michael McKeen, arrested at Queenstown on suspicion, and subsequently released. Your suggestions concerning the importance of United States citizens who may visit Great Britain being provided with evidences of citizenship, are approved. In this connection, I inclose a copy of an executive order of the 18th ultimo on that subject. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 18, 1868. It is recommended to all citizens of the United States, native or naturalized, who have occasion to visit Great Britain or Ireland, to procure passports from this department while the habeas corpus remains suspended in the latter country. Citizens of the United States, unjustly arrested, are liable to be detained without prompt examination until they can procure and produce legal evidence of their citizenship. No. 2141.] WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have just now received your dispatch of the 18th of February No. 1539. I entirely approve of your proceeding in submitting the substance of my No. 2118 to Lord Stanley. I have also taken the Presi dent's directions concerning the suggestions which his lordship has made to you with a view to the adjustment of existing differences between the United States and Great Britain. You were wise, as you always are, in saying to his lordship that it is the naturalization question which causes an uneasiness that more urgently needs removal than any other. While that uneasiness shall remain unrelieved, it would seem almost hopeless to attempt an adjustment of the other differences. This one will admit of no delay, compatibly with the preservation of harmony between our two countries. For this reason I cannot approve of his lordship's suggestion for a commission of eminent legal representatives of the four powers most interested in the question of naturalization. There now exists, it seems to me, a possibility of our being able to adjust this question promptly and satisfactorily. It could have been only a very few days after your conversation was held with Lord Stanley that Mr. Bancroft made a treaty with the North German government for adjusting the question of naturalization between the United States and that great and friendly power. That treaty has not, as yet, been received here. It is expected, however, to come by the very next mail. Its stipulations are believed to be tolerably well understood here. It is supposed also that they would be unobjectionable in principle to the |