Mr. Seward to Mr. Stuart.
Sir: Referring to my reply to your note of the 3d instant, requesting to be made acquainted with the circumstances which led to the detention of the British bark Rowena at Philadelphia, and to the imprisonment of her master, Captain John Sherwen, in Fort Delaware, I now have the honor to inform you that the War Department on the 10th ultimo was advised officially, and by verified statements, that a schooner, called the Dixie, Captain Sherwen, master, sailed from Philadelphia under English colors, for Havana. That the Dixie passed the revenue cutter and reported no passengers, and then stopped at Ready island and took on board as passengers five men for Nassau. That said five passengers were disloyal men, and notorious insurgents, who had been secreted for some two weeks on said island, at the house of a Mr. Price, awaiting the arrival of the Dixie, on which they had engaged passage at $100 each, thereby to escape from the loyal States and join the insurgents—all which was well known to Captain Sherwin, and their escape effected in collusion with him. That on the 7th of September Captain Sherwen, fearing the Dixie might be overhauled by the United States cruisers, transferred the five disloyal passengers to a Bahama wrecking vessel, paying the master thereof $65 to land them at Nassau. The Dixie proceeded to Havana, where she was sold by Captain Sherwen for $4,300; and he returned to Philadelphia and purchased another vessel, called the Rowena, loaded her with potatoes, meal, cheese, matches, bran, flour, &c., ostensibly for St. Christopher, West Indies, but, it is believed, with the real design of conveying her cargo to the insurgents, and on the 22d ultimo the War Department was advised of this fact, and of his readiness to leave the port.
The above facts were communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury, who, on the 22d of October, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Congress of the 20th of May last, and the regulations for carrying the same into effect, ordered the collector of the port of Philadelphia to refuse clearance to the “Rowena” till further order; and on the next day, October 23, the War Department ordered the arrest of Captain John Sherwin, to be held in custody at Fort Delaware till further order.
When Captain Sherwin was arrested, papers were found in his possession fully [Page 460] establishing his complicity in the fraudulent, clandestine, and illegal practice of conveying notorious rebel sympathizers and abettors as passengers on his vessel, with the intent of enabling them to join the rebels.
The War Department has also additional proofs obtained since his arrest, which enlarge the extent of the captain’s illegal practices. The investigation is still in progress.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, sir, the assurance of my high consideration.
Hon. William Stuart, &c., &c., &c.