Mr. Motley to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 99, enclosing copy of a despatch from Mr. Jackson, United States consul at Halifax, in which certain reports are given from Charleston and Halifax newspapers in regard to a supposed scheme for shipping 30,000 or 40,000 Polish soldiers for the rebel armies. I shall not neglect your instructions to use due vigilance towards thwarting the scheme referred to; but I would say that, so far as Austrian Poland is concerned, the state of siege in that country still exists, [Page 163] and it would be extremely difficult for any recruits for this Polish confederate army to cross the frontier in any direction, except with permission of the government, which assuredly would not be given.
I have the honor to remain your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c.