Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: After an absence of a few days in the country, I find on my table, as received from the department, despatches numbered from 1805 to 1819, both inclusive.
The most material of these are numbers 1805, 1809 and 1812, of the 18th, 23d, and 24th of July, relating to the cases of naturalized American citizens detained in prison in Ireland on account of supposed privity in the Fenian schemes of insurrection in that country.
The efforts of Mr. West at Dublin, under my directions, appear to have been to successful in procuring the liberation of these persons, that I learn from him the number remaining in Mount Joy prison is reduced to one. There are four others of whose naturalization the requisite evidence is still wanting. So soon us it is received, applications will be made in their behalf.
It appears that Mr. Thomas Hynes, the individual referred to in your No. 1805, although strongly suspected by the authorities of privity to a scheme of assassination, was finally released on the 3d instant, in consequence of the efforts on his behalf of those representatives of the government against whom he is in its letters constantly inveighing. If his character is to be judged by his own expositions of it, it may reasonably admit of doubt whether the interposition will prove an act of mercy either to himself or to others.
In regard to the case of Thomas O’Connell, referred to in your despatch No. 1809 of the 23d of July, I have the honor to report that he was liberated from Mount Joy prison so long ago as the 17th of last March. What has become of him since then, that his friends should not have heard from him, I have no means of knowing.
In regard to the third case, referred to in your No. 1812, of the 24th of July—that of Patrick Hasson, arrested in Belfast so long ago as in February, but which I had never heard of—I immediately applied to Mr. Young, the consult that place, to know if he had any information respecting him. This produced a reply of rather an extraordinary nature to the effect that he had known this and other cases of detention, but that he had done nothing in consence of an impression that the government at home had abandoned the whole found of claim in the case of naturalized citizens returning to their native country.
To this letter I caused an immediate reply to be made, reminding him of the propriety of consulting either the department or this legation before taking [Page 174] upon himself the responsibility of expressing the sentiments of the government in such cases, and desiring him at once to make a representation in behalf of Mr. Hasson, and any other naturalized person whom he might know to be in confinement within his district.
To that letter I have not yet received any response.
Mr. Young is, I believe, about to vacate his place, which may be the reason why he has not acted.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.