Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 565.]
Legation of the United
States, London,
January 1, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit copies of a
note addressed by me to Lord Russell, on the 28th of December, in
relation to certain movements contemplated by the rebels in this
country, and of his reply.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
Legation of the United
States,
London,
December 28, 1863.
My Lord: From such information as is
believed by me to be entitled to credit, although it is not at
present in my power to submit the evidence directly to your
lordship, I feel it my duty to apprise you of the fact that a number
of persons, not less than thirty, have lately arrived from the
United States, with the intention to embark in the steamer Pampero,
now at Glasgow, on a hostile expedition against the United States.
Of these persons, some eleven or twelve, including one Dr.
Vallandigham, from the State of Delaware, are now in Liverpool, and
the others are either in London or Glasgow. Captain Sinclair, who
has been here for more than a year, is designated to take the
command. He has left Glasgow from fear of inquiry, and is now living
elsewhere under an assumed name. A person by the name of Colin
McKensey, of Baltimore, but now residing in London, furnishes the
payments to the men, and is mentioned as the paymaster for the
vessel.
I am further informed that these are a most daring and reckless set
of men, who at one moment contemplated the project of seizing the
Pampero and running her out of the port of Glasgow, either by force
or fraud. This scheme is, however, for the present abandoned,
especially as hopes have been inspired by Lieutenant Maury, who has
lately visited those remaining at Liverpool, that the object will be
accomplished in a simpler way.
The desperate nature of the class of persons to which these men
belong in the United States is so well known to me, that I shall not
be surprised to find them at any moment attempting some scheme to
seize a vessel that promises
[Page 61]
success, even though it be in defiance of the law as well as of the
power of this kingdom. For these reasons I have taken the liberty to
submit the private information I have obtained, even though it does
not appear to be authenticated in the usual manner.
I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest
consideration, with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most
obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c., &c.
[Untitled]
Foreign Office,
December 29, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of yesterday’s date respecting a number of
persons, said to be of desperate character, who are reported to have
lately arrived in this country, and I have to inform you, in reply,
that I have caused the information contained in your letter to be
communicated to the proper department of Her Majesty’s government,
with a view to such measures being taken as the law allows to defeat
any such attempts as are therein alluded to.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your
most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Frances Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
