No. 140.
Mr. Hoppin to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of the United States,
London, September 2,
1882. (Received September 14.)
No. 237.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith an
extract from the Times newspaper of yesterday, in which it is stated
that Mr. Meany informed the court at Ennis, the day before, that he was
acting, in the proceedings he was taking, under instructions from this
legation and on the advice of the American Government. This was repeated
in other newspapers.
As the only communication we have had with Mr. Meany was to inform him
and his friend Mr. Collier that Mr. Lowell was investigating his case
under instructions from the Department of State, I thought it proper to
correct at once this statement which he is reported to have made, and I
accordingly addressed a note to Lord Granville on the subject which was
delivered at the foreign office this morning and a copy of which I
forward herewith.
I have the honor, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 237. From the.
Times, Friday September 1,1882.]
The press association Ennis correspondent says that Mr. Stephen J.
Meany, correspondent of the New York Star, who was arrested on the
10th of August under the crime prevention act, and bound over in his
own recognizances, attended yesterday at the police barracks in
accordance with instructions from the American legation in London to
surrender to his bail. The subinspector, however, declined to take
any action and referred him to Mr. Purcell, stipendiary magistrate.
Mr. Meany, acting on advice from the American Government, is
determined to test the legality of his arrest, and has adopted this
mode of bringing the question to a decisive issue.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
237.]
Mr. Hoppin to
Lord Granville.
[Immediate.]
Legation of the United States,
London, September 1, 1882.
My Lord: I take the earliest opportunity to
correct a statement which appears in the Times and other newspapers
this morning, that Mr. Stephen J. Meany, who was [Page 293] arrested on the 10th of August at
Ennis, under the prevention of crime (Ireland) act, has been
instructed by this legation to surrender to his bail. No
instructions of any sort have been given to him by this
legation.
It is further stated that Mr. Meany, acting on advice from the
American Government, Is determined to test the legality of his
arrest, and has adopted this mode of bringing the question to a
decisive issue. I cannot believe that any such advice has been
offered by my government to Mr. Meany. It certainly has not been
given to him through this legation.
I have the honor, &c.,
