Mr. Seward to Mr. Burnley
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 25th ultimo, which is accompanied by a copy of a communication of the 18th ultimo from the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick, respecting the impediments in the way of the extradition in that province of Samuel Eugene Lackey and others, who were engaged in the St. Albans outrages, and whose extradition was requested in my note of the 19th of December last. When that note was addressed to you it was supposed that the felons who were the subjects of it had fled to New Brunswick, but it subsequently appeared that they were in Canada, and their re-arrest was effected. This state of facts renders it unnecessary to provide evidence in the case; but I would recall your attention to the fact that even if it had been necessary according to past usage, I referred you for such evidence, at the conclusion of my note of the 19th of December last, to the papers which were enclosed in my previous note of the 21st of November, namely, the certified copies of complaints and warrants issued in the courts of Vermont, which gave all of the facts and charges in due legal form, and which are understood to have been forwarded by you to the authorities in Canada, where it is presumed legalized copies of them could have been obtained by the authorities of New Brunswick.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant,
J. Hume Burnley, Esq., &c., &c., &c.