Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In the letter from the Secretary of the Navy to you, dated the 23d ultimo, a copy of which was enclosed in the note which you did me the honor to address to me on the 2d instant, it is stated, with regard to certain men taken on board British vessels seized for breach of blockade, who are detained as prisoners in the Ludlow street jail at New York, that Marshal Murray has reported that he is convinced that they are not foreigners, their general appearance and dialect, coupled with certain information which had reached him concerning them, tending to show them to be citizens of the United States.
The affidavit which I had the honor to transmit to you on the 30th ultimo, and to which I have since more than once called your attention, appears to be sufficient to show that the five men among the prisoners in question who were taken on board the Don are British subjects. They have now been seven weeks in the Ludlow street jail.
With regard to the seven men taken on board the Scotia I shall probably be soon able to submit to you further evidence. In the mean time I must observe that, before I brought the cases to your notice, the men had been examined by a clerk sent for the purpose by her Majesty’s consul at New York, on whose report the consul felt himself to be warranted to declare the belief that the men were all British subjects and entitled to British protection in this country. I conceive, therefore, that it would be desirable that the information which has reached Marshal Murray, and which he regards as tending to show these men to be United States citizens, should be communicated to me, in order that I may be able to judge whether it is sufficient to rebut the presumption that they are, as they declare themselves to be, British subjects.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.