At a public meeting held at Leicester, March 6, 1863, Samuel Barnes, esquire, in the chair, the following resolutions were unanimously carried, and subsequently ordered to be forwarded to the honorable C. F. Adams: 1. That this meeting is decidedly of opinion that the conflict now raging between the two sections of the North American republic had its origin in the question of slavery, and that the object of the southern section is, by the evidence of their own officials, to establish a great slaveholding confederacy; this meeting, entertaining that unmitigated aversion to slavery which characterizes Englishmen, desires to repudiate all sympathy with a state which makes slavery the fundamental principle and corner-stone of its constitution. 2. That this meeting desires to express its hearty appreciation of every effort on the part of President Lincoln and the northern citizens to free themselves from the shame and guilt of slavery. SAMUEL BARNES, Chairman. At a large and enthusiastic meeting held in the assembly rooms of the Corn Exchange, Preston, on Tuesday, April 7, the following resolutions were passed, with but two dissentients: 1. That the souttern States of America having revolted from the United States government for the avowed purpose of extending and perpetuating slavery, this meeting views such a design with the greatest indignation, and hereby declares that a confederacy based upon what has been truly called "the sum of all villanies" is unworthy the recognition of the civilized world; and this meeting, believing that it is the duty of this country to main. tain the strictest neutrality with regard to the American war, desires to urge upon her Majesty's government the greatest vigilance and promptitude, in order to prevent the fitting out of privateers and the furnishing of arms for the purpose of injuring the United States government; and this meeting would further express its detestation at the conduct of those ship-builders, money-lenders, and others, who are aiding and abetting the designs of the rebel States. 2. That, regarding slavery as America's greatest curse, this meeting rejoices that so much has already been accomplished towards its complete and everlasting extinction, and hereby expresses its cordial sympathy with the people and government of the United States in the prosecution of an emancipation policy. 3. That a copy of the above resolutions be forwarded to Mr. Adams, the United States minister in London, and to Lord Russell, her Majesty's secretary for foreign affairs. JOHN HASLAM, Chairman. PRESTON, April 9, 1863. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 376.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, I SIR: I have the honor to forward copies of further correspondence had with Lord Russell in connexion with the case of the Alexandra. My proposition to him had been prompted by the legal advisers employed by Mr. Dudley, though not precisely in the form adopted by me. They suggested an offer to proceed, on our part, in the courts, as an alternative, should they prefer that course. thought this might possibly be used to throw the responsibility exclusively upon So I preferred to apprise them of the readiness of our lawyers to proceed on their judgment of the merits of the case, without offering to release the government from its duty to come to the same conclusion. us. I have since learned from Mr. Dudley that the government has finally decided upon prosecuting the offenders criminally. But so strong is the sympathy with them of all the subordinates at Liverpool that I still remain very doubtful of any successful result. They are collecting further testimony, in which business Mr. Dudley is endeavoring to co-operate with them. The expense will be considerable, but I have authorized him to incur it, in the belief that any efforts in this direction that may have the effect even to delay the completion of these operations will more than compensate the loss. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. [Enclosures.] 1. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, April 9, 1863. 2. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, April 9, 1863. 3. Same to same, April 11, 1863. 4. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, April 11, 1863. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: Having examined an opinion from eminent council that the evidence in the case of the Alexandra is sufficient to sustain proceedings for her condemnation under the sixth section of the enlistment law, I pray your lordship to have the kindness to inform me whether the measures thus far adopted or intended on the part of her Majesty's government in that case would be in any way deranged by simultaneous action on the part of the United States in a different form. Should no inconvenience be apprehended, I am informed by the lawyers that they are ready to proceed. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., sv., &c. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 9, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, requesting to be informed whether the means thus far adopted or intended on the part of her Majesty's government in the case of the Alexandra would be in any way deranged by simultaneous action on the part of the United States in a different form, and I beg to state to you that I have referred a copy of your letter to the lords' commissioners of her Majesty's treasury, and as soon as I receive their lordships' reply I shall have the honor of making a further communication to you on the subject. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 11, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acquaint you, with reference to your letter of the 9th of this month, that, in order that the law officers of the crown may be en abled to judge of the bearing which any proceedings which you might take on behalf of the government of the United States in the case of the Alexandra would have on the proceedings of her Majesty's government in the same case, they wish to be informed what they are to understand by the expression in your letter, "simultaneous action on the part of the United States." I have therefore to request that you will have the goodness to furnish me at your earliest convenience with an explanation on this point, for the information of her Majesty's law officers. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., fr. RUSSELL. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: Without incurring the delay necessary to consult with counsel in regard to the question which your lordship has done me the honor to propose to me in your note of this day, just received, I hasten to say that by the terms of the seventh and eighth sections of the enlistment law it would appear as if action could be taken both against the persons engaged in the offences specified and against the ships or vessels fitted out by them, or against either. In the one case, the proceedings would seem to be by indictment against the person for a criminal offence; whilst, in the other, the action might be against the vessel, and in a different court. The purpose of inquiry which I had the honor to make was rather to learn whether her Majesty's government would desire any form of co-operation in the prosecution of this matter than to embarrass them by specifying forms of action with which I am, necessarily, not familiar. Should it, however, be agreeable to the law officers of the crown to obtain more specific information in regard to the practical measures contemplated by the counsel retained on behalf of the government of the United States, I shall be happy to procure it at as early a moment as may be practicable. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 378.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: On re-examining Lord Russell's note to me of the 2d instant, I found that in my reply of the 6th instant I had accidentally omitted to notice a passage which virtually renewed the allegation that the government of the United States authorized enlistments of men in this kingdom for their service. In order to preclude any inferences that might be drawn from this silence, I thought it advisable to address a new note to his lordship, a copy of which I send herewith. I add also a copy of his reply. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, &c. [Enclosures.] 1. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, denying recruiting, April 10, 1863. 2. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, acknowledging receipt thereof, April 11, 1863. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: In the note which I had the honor to address to your lordship on the 6th instant, in reply to yours of the 2d instant, I inadvertently omitted to make a remark upon one passage, which I had intended and which it seems to be my duty yet to supply. I refer to that in which you observe that I am "not ignorant that it is now again asserted that her Majesty's subjects are being recruited for the purpose of aiding the United States against the so-called Confederate States." In point of fact, at the time of receiving your lordship's note, I was ignorant that such an assertion had been made in any quarter deserving of notice. But inasmuch as I have since perceived the story, wherever originated, to have gained credit in the mind of your lordship, and also to have been dignified by the notice of the first minister of the crown, in his place in the House of Commons, I must now ask permission to recall your attention to the denial I was authorized by my government to make, of any such action, so long ago as in my note of the 30th of December last. I beg leave now to repeat that denial, and further to observe that there is no agent of the United States here possessed of authority to "recruit her Majesty's subjects within this kingdom for the purpose of aiding the United States against the so-called Confederate States." Should any person appear professing to have such powers, I should be much obliged for any information which would enable me to report his conduct promptly to my government. I supply this omission in my former note to your lordship expressly to preclude any unfavorable inference which might be drawn from my silence, and not from any intrinsic importance attached by me to the rumor. I pray your lordship to accept, &c., CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 11, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, renewing your assurances in regard to the alleged recruiting in this country for the army of the United States. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. No. 379.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to transmit copies of several notes which have passed between Lord Russell and myself, touching the departure of a vessel called the Japan, alias the Virginia, equipped for the same general purposes as the Oreto and the gunboat No. 290. This vessel did not stop at Alderney, but received her armament from the Allar on the high seas, not far from the French coast. The depositions of two of the seamen, copies of which have been sent to you by Mr. Dudley, tell the whole story. I have the honor to be, sir, your Hon. W. H. SEWARD, obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, &c. [Enclosures.] 1. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell, reporting the Allar at Plymouth, April 11, 1863. 2. Extract from second edition of the Times of April 11, 1863, about the Allar and Japan. 3. Lord Russell's receipt of the above, April 11, 1863 4. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, with depositions of Thompson and Mahon, and list of men shipped at Liverpool, as well as of those who returned from the Japan. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, April 11, 1863. MY LORD: I have the honor to enclose to your lordship a slip, extracted from the London Times of to-day, touching the case of the vessel now called the Japan, but named at Greenock lately the Virginia. It is needless to add that the statement therein made of the destination of the vessel is known to me to be false. I have reason to believe that she has not gone. The steamer Allar has already transferred to her one 56 gun and four smaller ones, and is expected to return to her. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. I pray your lordship to accept, &c... Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. seas. [From second edition of the Times, April 11, 1863 ] PLYMOUTH, Saturday morning. The steamship Allar, Captain Back, of and from Newhaven, for St. Malo, put in here this morning and landed seventeen men belonging to the steamship Japan, Captain Jones, 600 tons, which left Greenock on the 28th of March for a trading voyage in the China On arrival off the coast of France, she lay to for three days, it is supposed, to take in more cargo. On the 4th of April, at 11 a. m., one of the condensers of the steamengines, which are about 200 horse power, exploded, and two firemen in the stoke-hole were scalded, viz: Alexander McDuff, of Edinburgh, and William Hamilton, of Down Patrick, seriously. They were taken immediately into the captain's cabin, transferred to the Allar on the 9th, and are now in the Devon and Cornwall hospital here. The other |