I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
&c., &c., &c.
Viscount Monck to Mr. Burnley
Quebec,
January 18, 1865.
Sir: With reference to the cases of Miller
and Fisher, who were illegally imprisoned at Detroit last May, and
whose claims to compensation Mr. Seward informed you in his note of
the 7th October, 1864, would be taken into consideration when they
were definitely presented, I have the honor to transmit to you a
paper setting forth the amount of Miller’s claim, which I beg that
you will be so good as to lay before the Secretary of State of the
United States.
It should be borne in mind, in deciding upon the compensation due to
Miller, that though Mr. Seward, on the 7th October, pronounced his
detention to be illegal, he was not released till the 6th
December.
The delay was owing, I was informed, to a question arising as to
whether the proper person to grant the warrant of deliverance in the
case was the governor or the attorney general of the State of
Michigan.
If this is correct, Miller’s imprisonment was unnecessarily prolonged
for nearly two months after its injustice had been acknowledged, and
I think that this fact should weigh strongly in procuring a liberal
consideration of his claims by the government of the United
States.
I have, &c.
J. Hume Burnley, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
The government of the United
States to Thomas J. Miller,
Dr.
For compensation for being taken by violence—he being a British
subject—from Sandwich, in the county of Essex, in the province
of Canada, by United States officials, on May 1, 1864,
[Page 56]
and afterwards committed
to the common jail, in the city of Detroit, and there detained
until delivered by the warrant of his excellency Governor Blair,
of Michigan, on December 6, 1864—
| 1. |
For loss of earnings during the period of seven
calendar months and six days, from date of arrest to
date of release, at $50, Halifax currency, per
month |
$360 00 |
| 2. |
For expenses incurred during confinement in jail, $250
in United States currency, equivalent to, in Halifax
currency |
120 00 |
| 3. |
For indemnity for loss of health and strength, by
reason of close confinement in jail for the above
period |
500
00 |
|
Total, in Canadian currency |
980
00 |
