Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward
Sir: I have to acknowledge the reception from the department of despatches numbered from 2068 to 2071, inclusive.
In connection with the first two of these it is proper to state that the position of the British government has been so far changed since they were written as to remove the immediate necessity of a remonstrance. Most if not all the persons named by you are held for trial in the course of the next week.
In consequence of my consent to authorize the employment of counsel to defend Colonel Nagle and Captain Warren, as stated in my despatch No. 1463, of last week, I learn from Mr. West that a general demand has been made by the others for similar assistance. Messrs. Nagle and Warren also not only required the appointment of separate counsel for each of them, but to dictate who they should be. I saw at once there was a good deal of danger that my proceeding would lead to a large expenditure of the public money by way of incidental benefaction to numbers of lawyers sympathizing with the Fenian agitation and irritating to the government.
I have, therefore, declined to authorize the employment of more than one person, leaving the selection, however, to be determined by friendly consultation with Messrs. Nagle and Warren. I have further pleaded inability to engage the government in the defence of the other persons, without reference to the [Page 160] department for special authority. At the same time I have authorized the consul to employ some one to watch the cases and make report in the event of any injustice done.
Thus far I have had opportunities to observe that the persons implicated in these proceedings have not been without assistance, which I presume to have been supplied from friends of the Fenian association or sympathizers at home. It would doubtless be a great relief to them if the charges thus incurred could be shifted upon the United States. Under such circumstances it seems to be incumbent upon me to be cautious in involving the government in pecuniary engagements of indefinite extent without any authority or opportunity of consultation with it.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.