Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Congress, Part I

Mr. Seward to Sir F. Bruce

Department of State, Washington, October 22, 1866.

My Dear Sir Frederick: Permit me to invoke your early attention to the case of John Sheridan, the subject of the letter of the 21st of July last, addressed to Mr. Thurston by Mr. Thomas Barry, a copy of which is enclosed. Should there be insufficient evidence against the man, it is not doubted that he will be promptly released; but if it shall appear that he has been concerned in the recent Fenian demonstrations, I trust that the case may be dealt leniently with; and I shall thankfully appreciate such good offices to that end as you may be able to afford.

Very faithfully yours,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

The Hon. Sir Frederick W. A. Bruce, &c., &c., &c.

Re John Sheridan.

Mr. Barry to Mr. Thurston

Toronto, York Chambers, July 21, 1866.

Dear Sir: In this matter I was engaged professionally by the prisoner (a suspected Fenian) to apply for his admission, to bail, on a charge of treason. I prepared the necessary papers and applied to the chief justice of the court of queen’s bench for bail and habeas corpus, but both were refused by him. The only evidence against him is that of one Detective Armstrong, who states that in February last he was in Fort Erie, saw the prisoner there, who said he was a Fenian, and was in Canada for the purpose of getting places in which to store arms to be brought from the United States; that Armstrong attended a Fenian meeting with prisoner at that time, and he reported the facts to the collector of customs at Fort Erie. The collector corroborates the fact as to the report. The prisoner was arrested at Fort Erie on the 6th of June last, which place he visited by written pass of her Majesty’s consul in Buffalo, for a peaceable purpose. The pass bears that date, 6th June last. The prisoner lived and was employed in the United States for some considerable time previous to his arrest.

He has lately been removed to the new jail here and incarcerated with the other suspected Fenian prisoners.

I would feel obliged by your bringing the prisoner’s case under the notice of your government, as the case is one of great hardship, in which I think they should interfere.

I am, sir, with deep respect, very truly yours,

THOMAS BARRY, Solicitor for Prisoner.

D. Thurston, Esq., United States Consul, Toronto.