In presenting such cases to her Majesty’s government, it is not expected
that you will submit to the perusal of the authorities any expressions
which could give just cause of offence to that government. This
circumspection should be practiced as well for its favorable influence
on the interests of the parties whose release is sought as upon grounds
of international courtesy.
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c.,
&c.
Mr. Liebenau to Mr. Seward
No. 4 Hamilton Place, West
51st Street,
New York,
July 23, 1867.
Sir: I have been directed, as you will
observe by the proceedings of a meeting of the general committee of
“The Constitutional Union Association,” hereunto attached, to
address you in behalf of the liberation of Colonel William J. Nagle,
a native of our State, having been born at Syracuse; and Colonel J.
Warren, a native of Massachusetts, having been born at Boston; the
former, (Nagle,) of the 88th regiment New York volunteers; and the
latter, (Warren,) of the 63d regiment Massachusetts volunteers; and
who are now incarcerated in Kilmainham prison, Dublin, Ireland;
without having committed any overt act to justify or palliate such
an unwarrantable act of oppression, and in direct violation of that
comity of nations so essential to the harmonious and friendly
understanding of a Christian people.
With one of these gentlemen, William J. Nagle, I have the honor of a
personal acquaintance, and it gives me pleasure to state that I have
always known him as a highly honorable and law-abiding citizen, one
whom I am confident would not render himself amenable to any
violations of British law. You are, I believe, personally acquainted
with the family, and, therefore, it is perhaps superfluous for me to
dwell upon their character and conduct, except so far as to remind
you that five of their brothers rendered
essential service in the Union army during the rebellion, while three of them were killed in the service.
Colonel Warren, the travelling companion of our worthy
fellow-citizen, Nagle, I have not the pleasure of knowing
personally, but he is very highly spoken of by those who are
familiar with his general reputation.
As American citizens, they are entitled to the protection of our
government, while the services they have both rendered in the army
of our Union claim, as I am convinced they will receive from you,
the earnest and decisive action of the government they have both so
faithfully served in its hour of peril.
Permit me, in behalf of the organization I have the honor of
representing, to urge most respectfully your immediate intercession
in behalf of a speedy release of the aforesaid Colonel Nagle and
Colonel Warren.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient and humble
servant,
HENRY LEIBENAU, Corresponding Secretary C.
U. A.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
[Page 121]
[From the New
York Sun, Tuesday morning, July 16,
1867,]
The Fenian prisoners–Meeting of Constitutional Union
Committee–Resolutions demanding their release.
A special meeting of the Constitutional Union general committee
was held last evening at Masonic Hall to take into consideration
the unwarrantable imprisonment by the British government, of
Colonel William Nagle, of this city, and Colonel J. Warren, of
Massachusetts. After a short and earnest deliberation the
following resolutions were passed:
We have heard with surprise and indignation of the unwarrantable
imprisonment of American citizens in Ireland, arrested on the
abject and pitiful pretence of suspicion of being Fenians, and
their incarceration in a loathsome prison, subject to the
indignities and manacles of convicted felons, in direct
violation of every principle of international law and the comity
of nations, in consequence of the cowardly fear of danger which
the guilty only feel from the
consciousness of their own transgressions; and
Whereas Colonel William J. Nagle, a native of New York State, and
Colonel J. Warren, a native of Massachusetts, both gallant
soldiers of our Union army during our late domestic straggle,
have been arrested without the slightest overt act on their part
while on a visit to their relatives in their fatherland, for no
other offence to them known than the expressing here on their
native soil a sympathy for the down-trodden country of their
parents f and
Whereas the noble act of Commdoroe Ingraham in demanding of
Austria the instant release of Koszta, an adopted citizen of
America, met the hearty approval of our undivided nation, and
the case of Colonel Nagle and Colonel Warren being entited to no
less a consideration, because of their being natives of the
United States: Therefore, be it
Resolved, That steps be taken to effect
their immediate release, considering the violation of
international law in the case as just and proper cause for
demanding indemnification and retribution: be it therefore
Resolved, That our corresponding secretary
be directed to address the Hon. William H. Seward on behalf of
the organization and in favor of our fellow-citizens, whom we
believe are not amenable to British law by any overt act nor by
any connection with Fenian movements in Ireland, and urge the
honorable Secretary to make a speedy and resolute demand or
their immediate release.
Resolved, That a petition be prepared and
circulated for signatures by our fellow-citizens under the
patronage of our organization.
DANIEL B. NORTHRUP, President.
H. J. Banker,
Henry Liebenau, Secretaries.
