Mr. Burnley to Mr. Seward.
Sir In the letter from the Navy Department, which you did me the honor of forwarding to me on the 25th ultimo, relative to a permission to enable her Majesty’s consul at New York to visit the receiving-ship at the Brooklyn navy yard, with a view of collecting evidence as to enlistment of British subjects, it is stated that this permission would not be withheld from the consul or his deputy to visit any designated person or persons on board that ship for a Stated and reasonable purpose.
Her Majesty’s consul, acting on these instructions, has invariably, in addressing Rear-Admiral Paulding, designated the persons he wished to see, and stated his reasons for so doing. As his letters, however, have up to the present time remained unacknowledged, and access has been debarred to the receiving-ship, I venture to bring this question again before you, in the hope that her Majesty’s consul may at length receive that permission without which I the investigation into such cases of supposed illegal enlistment would be rendered quite nugatory.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.