Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine.

Sir: I have received a telegram from Her Majesty’s consul-general in New York stating that a man, named John Gibbons, and his family, consisting of his wife and five children, have been declared to be assisted emigrants by the superintendent of emigration, and ordered to be returned to-morrow on the City of Paris, the ship on which they came to this country.

Gibbons is an army pensioner, who has had his pension commuted by the war office and possesses money to the amount of £204 13s., which is now in charge of Her Majesty’s consul-general in New York. He has a brother living in Jersey City, who has taken apartments for him there. He therefore can not be considered either a “pauper” or “a person likely to become a public charge.” Moreover, his passage was paid out of his own money, although it was advanced by the war office, who owed it to him.

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Under these circumstances I venture most strongly to press that telegraphic instructions may at once be sent to the superintendent of emigration at the port of New York to hold Gibbons and his family until I shall have had time to lay the whole facts of this case before you.

I have, etc.,

Julian Pauncefote.