Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I
Consul Moore to Earl Russell.—(Received June 28.)
I have the honor to enclose herewith the copy of a despatch and enclosures written by me to Lord Lyons, dated the 6th instant, from which your lordship will gather that this government has annulled my exequatur.
Consul Moore to Lord Lyons.
I have the honor to enclose to your lordship the copy of a letter addressed to me by Mr. Benjamin, secretary of state, under yesterday’s date, together with letters patent (copy also enclosed) in the name of the president, Mr. Jefferson Davis, revoking my exequatur as her Majesty’s consul for the State of Virginia, for the reason therein assigned, that I had corresponded with the secretary of war here on matters beyond my consular jurisdiction, after receiving an intimation from the secretary of state not to do so.
I am very happy to state that my last crowning consular act was consummated yesterday morning before I received this ungenerous withdrawal of my exequatur, by which measure I have checked the attempted conscription of British subjects under various pretexts, namely, for having voted, for having declared their intention of becoming citizens, for holding real estate, and for having married in the country, so that numerous British subjects got their release from captivity in a military camp yesterday, and it will stay, I trust, for a time this source of anxiety to them.
[Page 818]If I am to leave Richmond it will be absolutely necessary that this government should allow the unshackled departure of all British subjects; and if military exigencies should be pleaded as an excuse for objecting to allow them to cross their military lines, I beg to suggest whether means could not be resorted to to have steamers sent to City Point, on the James river, for their conveyance to Baltimore or New York. There are numerous British workmen in the different government workshops who are very anxious to leave at their own expense, but they are refused passports.
P. S.—I also enclose copy of my answer to Mr. Benjamin.
Mr. Benjamin to Consul Moore.
Sir: The president of the Confederate States has been informed that, in consequence of your assuming to act in behalf of the government of her Britannic Majesty on matters occurring in the State of Mississippi, you were requested to submit to this department your consular commission, as well as any other authority held by you to act in behalf of her Majesty’s government, before further correspondence could be held with you as British consul for the port of Richmond. He has further been informed that you have not acceded to this request, and that in disregard of the legitimate authority of this government you have again lately corresponded as her Majesty’s consul for this port with the secretary of war of the Confederate States. The president considers it as inconsistent with the respect which it is his office to enforce towards this government that you should any longer be permitted to exercise the functions or enjoy the privileges of a consul in these Confederate States. He has consequently thought proper, by the letters patent of which I enclose you a copy, to revoke the exequatur heretofore granted to you, and to make public these letters patent.
I have, &c.,
[Enclosure 3 in No. 1.]
Letters patent revoking the exequatur of George Moore, her Britannic Majesty’s consul at Richmond.
Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America,
To all whom it may concern:
Whereas George Moore, esq., her Britannic Majesty’s consul for the port of Richmond and State of Virginia, (duly recognized as such by the exequatur issued by a former government, which was at the time of the issue the duly authorized agent for that purpose of the State of Virginia,) did recently assume to act as consul for a place other than the city of Richmond, and a State other than the State of Virginia, and was thereupon, on the 20th day of February last, 1863, requested by the secretary of state to submit to the department of state his consular commission, as well as any other authority he may have received to act in behalf of the government of her Britannic Majesty, before further correspondence could be held with him as her Majesty’s consul at the port of Richmond; and whereas the said George Moore has lately, without [Page 819] acceding to said request, entered into correspondence as her Majesty’s consul with the secretary of war of these Confederate States, thereby disregarding the legitimate authority of this government:
These, therefore, are to declare that I do no longer recognize the said George Moore as her Britannic Majesty’s consul in any part of these Confederate States, nor permit him to, exercise and enjoy any of the functions, powers, or privileges allowed to the consuls of Great Britain. And I do wholly revoke and annul any exequatur heretofore given to the said George Moore by the government which was formerly authorized to grant such exequatur as agent of the State of Virginia, and do declare the said exequatur to be absolutely null and void from this day forward.
In testimony whereof I have caused these letters to be made patent, and the seal of the Confederate States of America to be hereunto affixed.
By the President:
J. P. Benjamin, Secretary of State.
Consul Moore to Mr. Benjamin.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of yesterday’s date, transmitting to me the letters patent of the president, revoking my exequatur as her Britannic Majesty’s consul for the State of Virginia.
Without communicating upon this act, I simply acknowledge its reception, which I will communicate to my government by the first opportunity.
I have, &c.,