Lord Lyons to Mr.
Seward.
Washington,
May 18, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you a copy
of a dispatch which I have received from the governor of the Bahama
islands, and an extract from a memorial addressed to his excellency by
merchants of the town of Nassau.
These papers relate to the restrictions of the trade between the northern
ports of the United States and the Bahamas, which have been for some
time a subject of controversy between the British and American
governments. I do not, however, purpose to make my present note a part
of that controversy. I simply desire to ask that, without prejudice to
the further discussion of the general question, one particular
grievance, which is put forward in the memorial, may be at once taken
into consideration, and, if possible, redressed.
The memorialists complain that the bonds which their agents are compelled
to give at New York are no longer cancelled, even on the production of a
certificate from the American consul in the form specified by the
government of the United States. It is to this complaint that I now wish
to call your attention; and waiving on the present occasion all
controversy concerning the exaction of the bonds, I venture to express a
hope that the recent aggravation of the inconvenience which they
occasion may be removed without delay.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.
[Untitled]
Government House, Nassau, Bahamas,
May 9, 1863.
My Lord: The presentation of the
accompanying memorial, on the eve of the departure of the mails,
leaves me no time to append any comment to it.
The memorialists are all merchants of this city, and the subject of
their remonstrance is of considerable moment both in a political and
commercial point of view.
I infer from the observations of those by whom it was presented that
their
[Page 608]
chief grievance is
that the bonds, given by their agents in New York, are no longer
cancelled after the signature of the consular certificate, which was
originally issued for the purpose of enabling them to be
cancelled
Certainly the continued enforcement of these bonds must discourage
any persons from undertaking this kind of agency in New York, and
must in an equal degree discourage all trade between New York and
Nassau.
I have, &c.,
[Untitled]
Extract from a
memorial presented, by merchants and others to the governor
of the Bahama islands, dated
Nassau, May 7, 1863.
“Merchants are obliged, before they are allowed to export goods of
any description from a northern port to any port in this colony, to
give bond to the value of the shipment, not only that the exporter
shall not himself ship such goods to any port in the confederacy,
but that he will not dispose of them to any other person who will so
ship them—a condition which your lordship will at once perceive is
not only an interference with our rights as British. merchants in
carrying on our trade within British territory, but is one which it
is quite impossible for us to perform, as the moment we sell our
goods here all interest over them of course passes from us, and yet
our bonds are liable to forfeiture if any person who gets possession
of such goods, even as a purchaser in market west, conveys or
attempts to convey them to the Confederate States.
“These bonds are required to be entered into by our agents in New
York. Originally they were cancelled on the production of a
certificate from the American consul here; but latterly, although
the form of this document was framed by the United States
authorities, its reception as proof of the performance of the
condition stipulated for has been rejected by those very parties,
and at the present time the agents in New York of various merchants
here have liabilities outstanding against them, in respect of their
bonds, of so enormous an amount as would, if enforced, bring ruin to
their doors; and under these circumstances the merchants here must
stop their importations from the northern States unless remedial
measures are, without delay, adopted—a course which we should be
most reluctant to pursue, as we feel that it is one that may result
in great suffering on the part of the inhabitants of the colony
generally, as the bonds referred to are required, not only for
manufactured goods, which might be procured elsewhere, but for
provisions, including those imported for her Majesty’s government,
and for the other common necessaries of life,
which we are obliged to resort to the American market for, and a
cessation in the supply of which would probably produce the same
painful results here which have been recently produced in the
manufacturing districts of the mother country by the interruption of
the trade in cotton.”
Mr. Seward to Lord Lyons.
Department of State, Washington,
May 19, 1863.
My Lord: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your note of the 14th instant, relative to the case
of Mr. J. M. Vernon, a prisoner in Fort Lafayette, and to state that
a copy of it has been communicated to the Secretary of War, with a
request that he will inform me of the progress and result of the
proceedings in the case.
I have the honor to be, with high consideration, your lordship’s
obedient servant,
Right Hon. Lord Lyons, &c., &c., &c.
