Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

No. 548.]

Sir: On the 30th instant I received a note from Lord Russell, a copy of which I now transmit. It seems to be supported by two affidavits, which have already found their way into the newspapers, and appear in the Times of the 2d instant.

As soon as possible I wrote a reply to his lordship’s note, a copy of which is appended. At the same time I directed my secretary, Mr. Wilson, to write a letter to Mr. Eastman, the consul implicated, to learn from him the facts in the case. It is quite apparent that a trap was laid for the commander of the Kearsarge. I shall be very sorry if it should turn out that he has fallen into it. The allegations respecting Mr. Eastman are so vague and slight that I think it scarcely probable he had any share in the transaction, whatever it may have been.

I have just received a telegram from Mr. Eastman in advance of his letter, in answer to Mr. Wilson, explicitly denying that he has had, directly or indirectly, any knowledge of or participation in the enlistment of a British subject.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Hon. Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

[Enclosures.]

1. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, November 30, 1863.

2. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, December 2, 1863.

3. Depositions in newspapers of P. Kennedy and Ed. Lynch.

[Page 9]

Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.

Sir: I have the honor to call your attention to the following statement, which has come to the knowledge of her Majesty’s government, respecting the shipment of British subjects on board the United States ship-of-war Kearsarge, when in the port of Queenstown, for service in the navy of the United States:

It is reported that when the Kearsarge was at Queenstown, early in this month, one of her officers, named James Haley, who had been a resident of Ringaskiddy, about twenty years ago, and who, after serving on board her Majesty’s ship Shamrock, had entered into the service of the United States, went ashore for the purpose of visiting his sister at that place, and when there persuaded five persons, named John Sullivan, Edward Rylurne, Thomas Murphy, George Patterson, and Dennis Leary, to go to sea in the Kearsarge. These men are said to have been taken on board that vessel by one J. Dum, a boatman of Ringaskiddy. Another person of the name of Michael Ahern, lately in the employment of Messrs. Scott, of Queenstown, is also reported to have gone on board at the same time. None of these persons seem to have come on shore again, and they, therefore, must have sailed in the Kearsage and have taken service in her as seamen.

Her Majesty’s government have also been furnished with copies of affidavits made by Patrick Kennedy and Edward Lynch, both natives of Queenstown, who declare that they proceeded on board the Kearsarge to enter as seamen, but did not sail in her.

Patrick Kennedy deposes that he underwent an inspection by the ship’s doctor, and that his name was registered; that he saw seven or eight other men from Ringaskiddy come on board, all Irishmen, one of them named Murphy. The names of the others he states himself not to know. He states that he was informed that the pay would be twelve dollars per month. Kennedy, however, left the ship with the pilot and returned to land. Kennedy also deposes that he saw on board the Kearsage Mr. Eastman, the American consul, at Queenstown, in conversation with one of the officers, and that Mr. Dawson, the agent of the consul, was also on board.

Edward Lynch’s affidavit corroborates the assertion made by Kennedy. He says that he went on board with two other Irishmen, Daniel O’Connell, of White Point, and John Connelly, of Bishop’s street, Queenstown; and that O’Connell and Connelly, having been passed by the doctor, were engaged as seamen, together with three other men, all British subjects, whose names he did not know, he himself being rejected on account of his height. He declares that all whom he saw thus engaged sailed in the vessel when she left Queenstown.

I need not point out to you the importance of these statements, as proving a deliberate violation of the laws of this country, within one of its harbors, by commissioned officers of the navy of the United States.

Before I say more, I wait to learn what you can allege in extenuation of such culpable conduct on the part of the United States officers of the navy and the United States consul at Queenstown.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

RUSSELL.

C. F. Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.

[Page 10]

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

Mr. Adams, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States, presents his compliments to the Right Honorable Lord Russell, her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, and has the honor to acknowledge the reception of his lordship’s note of the 30th ultimo, relating to certain unlawful proceedings, alleged to have taken place at Queenstown, in the enlistment of her Majesty’s subjects on board the Kearsarge, and in the agency of the consul of the United States, Mr. Eastman, in that transaction.

It would be a cause of deep regret to Mr. Adams if any just grounds should have been given by an officer of the United States to any similar allegation. He loses no time in assuring his lordship that he has taken immediate measures to apprise Mr. Eastman of the nature of the statement thus made, and to obtain the necessary explanations of the matter from him. In the mean time Mr. Adams cannot permit himself to doubt that the charge will prove to have been founded in some misconception of the facts in the case.

Mr. Adams prays Earl Russell to accept the assurances of his highest consideration.

The Foreign Enlistment Act.

Sir: As bearing upon the known wholesale violations of the foreign enlistment act by agents and officers of the United States government, I submit as matter of public interest at this time the following official documents which have come into my hands.

I am, &c.,

JAMES SMITH.

Editor of the Times.

“Borough of Cork, to wit: by one of her Majesty’s justices of the peace for the borough.

“I, Edward Lynch, of Queenstown, in the county of Cork, yeoman, do solemnly and sincerely declare that the American war steam frigate Kearsarge came into the port of Queenstown, in this county, on the 2d day of November instant, where she anchored and remained till the 6th day of November following. That it was rumored that she was taking men for the support of the war now going on in America, and that I, in company with one Daniel O’Connell, of Whitepoint, and one John Connolly, of Bishop’s street, in the town of Queenstown, both in said county, and all Irishmen, went on board said war frigate. That I remained on board said war frigate up to the hour of half past 5 o’clock in the afternoon on said day, and got my dinner and supper on board with all the other hands, and that the boatswain of said frigate shipped the said O’Connell and Connolly to serve on board said war frigate, and proceed to America therein, but objected to me on account of my height. That previously to the shipping of said two men, O’Connell and Connolly, they had to pass inspection of the naval doctor on board in the usual way in which men enlisting in the naval service have to do. That another man, whose name I do not know, and also, as I believe, a British subject, who formerly belonged to a merchant ship, and was residing in Queenstown for about three months previously, passed the doctor, and was shipped. That two other men, who belong to Ringaskiddy, in this county, were [Page 11] also taken as firemen on board said war frigate, and that it was stated on board that the pay was to be twelve dollars per month. That the captain of said frigate was not on board at the time of these occurrences; but I heard the commander say to the boatswain, ‘I’ll leave them in charge to you now.’ The boatswain took them with him, and in some time after they, the said O’Connell and Connolly, returned, and told me they passed the doctor. O’Connell’s mother, now Mrs. Buckley, lives at the back of the chapel at Queenstown. A boatman from the Holy Ground at Queenstown also came on board, passed the naval doctor, in the usual way aforesaid, and was taken into service on board. There were about 200 hands on board, principally English and Irish. The said war frigate sailed from this port, by the direction of the admiral now stationed at Queenstown, on Friday, the 6th day of November instant; and it was stated they would first proceed to France, thence to America. The men of whom I have declared sailed on board said war frigate out of the port of Cork, and I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true, in pursuance of the statute for the abolition of oaths and the substitution of declarations in lieu thereof.

his

“EDWARD × LYNCH.

mark.

“Truly read by me to said Edward Lynch.

“THOMAS H. CROFTS.


“ROBERT HALL, “One of her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Cork.”

[Untitled]

“Borough of Cork, to wit: by one of her Majesty’s justices of the peace for the borough of Cork.

“I, Patrick Kennedy, of Queenstown, in the county of Cork, yeoman, do solemnly and sincerely declare that on Tuesday, the 3d day of November instant, I went on board the American war frigate Kearsarge, then lying in the port of Cork, for the purpose of enlisting in the naval service to which she belonged. J. Thomas Vesling, of Queenstown, and two other men from the light-house, whose names I do not know, were with me. We all went for the same purpose, having previously ascertained that the officers on board were enlisting men; this was widely circulated throughout Queenstown. When I went on board it was about 2 o’clock, and one of the officers told me I’d be taken as a landsman. The same officer told a person whom I believe to be the boatswain’s mate to take me before the doctor, and accordingly I and the three other men were taken before the doctor of the ship, were stripped, even our stockings taken off, and passed his inspection. We left about 4 o’clock, promising to come aboard at 7 o’clock same evening. I did not go aboard that evening, but returned at about 7 o’clock next morning, and had breakfast, dinner, and supper on board. While aboard next day, seven or eight men from Ringaskiddy, all Irishmen, came aboard, and told me they had passed the doctor. These men sailed on board the vessel. I did not, as I, when outside the harbor, as the parties were asleep below, slipped into the boat with the pilot, and came home. A boy named Murphy, from Queenstown, also passed the doctor, and sailed in the vessel, as did all the others, with the exception of Vesling; he did not go. There were from 150 to 200 men taken on board, nearly all Irish. I saw Mr. Eastman, the American consul for Queenstown, on board. He was in conversation with some of the officers on board, and remained for some time. Mr. Dawson, the agent of the consul, was also on board. I was told twelve dollars a month would be [Page 12] the pay. After we passed the doctor our names were registered. And I make this solemn declaration, conscientiously believing the same to be true, and in pursuance of the statute for the abolition of oaths and the substitution of declarations in lieu thereof.

his

“PATRICK × KENNEDY.

mark.

“FELIX MULLUN, “One of the Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Cork.”