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Re: International Relations
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Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/malhome.html

Where you'll find an untranscribed letter that I had, with help from associates, transcribed.

William Smyth to Abraham Lincoln, Saturday, January 07, 1865 (Support from Ireland)
Sir

I congratulate you on the recent successes I was uneasy about Gen'l Sherman. I see you want 300 thousand men to put the finishing stroke to the War giving a bounty of 800 dollars to each man. Some months ago it was expected the American Gov. intended granting a free immigration to Irish among other people, and it was reported I was an agent. I was actually overwhelmed with applications. A soldier of the Class?? position told me not many days ago that every man in the Regt 900 strong would immigrate understanding the purpose if I paid their passages and give them some money to leave with their families. You see how freely I write because I know I am writing to a gentlemen. From your exalted position you could not of course do the same if you are not badly advised you will send me L20 (pounds) a head and I will send you 5000 men. A letter can be written by some person I no only saying "I enclose your draft or drafts on the Bank of Ireland, The Provisional Bank of Ireland, the National Bank of Ireland for 100 thousand pounds you know the instructions for ABC" and I pledge you my word as a gentleman the money shall be properly applied. It? would not answer for ???? or any of your consular agents to know anything about the matter. If Gen'l Grant has 5000 fresh men he would soon crush Lee and all war then over and President Lincoln immortalized and mark my words you may regret not taking my advice. As to the conscription no free state will submit to it and you will rather injure than save yourself by resorting to it. I know it by letters from Irish people in America to their friends in this country. If you have a war with England about Canada which is considered very likely, the English navy is strong enough to break the blockade and seriously damage your trade and immigration should cease so be wise which there is yet time. The Arming of the slaves by the Rebels will delay the termination of the war. The notes passed by the emigrants will be in America before them. They must pay or serve,?? the former they will not be able to do.

Army O.R. Series 3 - Volume 4 Pages 455-458

June 27, 1864.
The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reference to this Depart-
ment of a resolution passed in the Senate of the United States on the
24th instant, requesting the President of the United States “to inform
the Senate if any authority has been given to any one, either in this
country or elsewhere, to obtain recruits in Ireland or in Canada for
our Army or Navy; and whether any such recruits have been obtained,
or whether, to the knowledge of the Government, Irishmen or Cana-
dians have been induced to emigrate to this country in order to be so
recruited; and if so, what measures, if any, have been adopted to
arrest such conduct,” and to state in reply that no such order as that
indicated in the resolution has been given by the Navy Department
to any one, either in this country or elsewhere, nor is the Navy
Department aware that any such recruits have been obtained, or that
inducements have been offered to Irishmen or Canadians to emigrate
to this country in order to be so recruited.

On the occasion of a visit of the U. S. steamer Kearsarge to Queens-
town, Ireland, in November last, several Irishmen secreted themselves
on board the vessel, were carried off in her, and when discovered were
returned to that port and put ashore. This circumstance gave rise
to a charge that the Kearsarge had violated the foreign enlistment act
of Great Britain. Captain Winslow, commanding the Kearsarge, dis-
avowed having violated this act or any intention of permitting others
under his command to do so. Explanations have been made to the
British Government, and it is presumed the matter •has been satis-
factorily settled.
I am, sir, with very great respect, your obedient servant,
GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy.

Naval O.R. Series I - Volume 2: The Operation of the Cruisers (January 1, 1863 - March 31, 1864)

p. 489 p. 563 p. 564 p. 565 p. 566 p. 873 p. 919

See the reports on the capture of the CSS Florida in the Bay of San Salvador, Brazil
See the reports on the Trent Affair

On the Vatican

Series II - Volume 3: Proclamations, Appointments, etc. of President Davis; State Department Correspondence with Diplomatic Agents,etc.

p. 521-522 p. 534 p. 637 p. 950 p. 952 p. 963

New York Times Archives

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9B02E7DA1E3BE63BBC4B53DFBE668388679FDE

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Recognition of the Confederacy as a legitimate power with rights

Whereas we are happily at peace with all sovereign powers and States: And whereas hostilities have unhappily commenced between the Government of the United States of America and certain States styling themselves the Confederate States of America: And whereas we, being at peace with the Government of the Unites States have declares our royal determination to maintain a strict and partial neutrality in the contest between the said contending parties: We therefore have thought fit, by [and with] the advice of our privy council, to issue this our royal proclamation:

And we do hereby strictly charge and command all our loving subjects to observe a strict neutrality in and during the aforesaid hostilities, and to abstain from violating or contravening either the laws and statutes of the realm in this behalf or the law of nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their peril.

...

Victoria R
13 May, 1861

Retrieved from "http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/British_proclamation_of_neutrality_in_the_American_Civil_War"

___________________________
David Upton

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