Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878

No. 180.
Mr. Evarts to Mr. Welsh .

Department of State,
Washington , July 1, 1878.

No. 100.]

Sir: I transmit herewith for your information a copy of a joint resolution passed during the late session of the United States Congress, and approved on the 15th ultimo, reciting certain allegations in relation to Edward O’M. Condon, whose case has heretofore been the subject of frequent correspondence with your legation, and requesting the President to cause an investigation to be made in the premises, and, if deemed expedient, to take such action as may secure to the prisoner an opportunity for exoneration by a speedy, fair, and impartial trial.

It is not desired, pending such investigation, that you should take any further official action in behalf of Condon, but you may say informally to the British secretary of state for foreign affairs, that the Congress of the United States has ordered a careful examination of all the circumstances which led to the conviction of Condon, and that if the result of such investigation should tend to exonerate the prisoner from the crime of which he has been convicted, or should develop facts in his favor not known or presented at his former trial, the exculpatory proof will be laid in due time before Her Majesty’s Government, in the confident hope that a new trial, with adequate means of defense, will be accorded as an act of justice and equity.

I am, &c.,

WM. M. EVARTS.

[Inclosure.]

JOINT RESOLUTION asking for investigation in the case of Edward O’M. Condon.

Whereas Edward O’M. Condon, an officer in Company K, one hundred and sixty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteers, of the late Union Army, who was wounded in the battle before Petersburg, is incarcerated in England under sentence of felony, in having conspired to liberate certain Fenian prisoners; and

Whereas, further, it is alleged that said Condon is guiltless of the crime charged against him, and upon a new trial would be able to establish beyond question the falsity thereof: Therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be requested to cause an investigation to be made in the premises, and, if deemed expedient, to take such action as may secure to said Condon an opportunity for his complete exoneration from the alleged crimes by a speedy, fair, and impartial trial.

Approved, June 15, 1878.