Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the First Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I

Mr. Seward to Lord Lyons.

Department of State, Washington, March 3, 1863.

My Lord: Referring to your memorandum of the 19th ultimo, relative to colored emigrants from the United States for service in the British West Indian colonies, and to my reply, I now have the honor to enclose to you the copy of a letter of yesterday, from the Secretary of the Interior, on the subject, together with a copy of the despatch to Mr. Adams, therein referred to.

I have the honor to be, with high consideration, your lordship’s obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Right Hon. Lord Lyons, &c., &c., &c.

[Untitled]

Department of the Interior, Washington, March 2, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have read and considered the memorandum of Lord Lyons, relative to the emigration of colored persons, which was transmited to this department by you on the 20th ultimo, and, in reference thereto, to state that, upon the assumption that the guarantees specified in your despatch to Mr. Adams, the American minister at London, dated the 30th of September last, will be secured to the emigrants by her Majesty’s government, I regard the proposition with favor, and will cordially co-operate in carrying out the proposed arrangement, if it shall be concluded by the governments of her Majesty and the United States.

I am, sir, with much respect, your obedient servant,

J. P. USHER, Secretary of the Interior.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.