making this charge, I would call upon him and the Russian minister to make a statement. To this letter I received the letter hereto annexed, marked N. C. F. H. (This letter is already published and will be found, ante, at middle of page 330.) All that I did in procuring and sending men to Halifax, for the foreign legion, was done by the advice and recommendation of Mr. Crampton, Mr. Howe, and Mr. Matthews. I was employed by Mr. Howe, and acted as his agent, with the knowledge and approbation of Mr. Crampton and Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthew knew of both the ex[497] peditions I sent. He approved and encouraged me in sending them away. He encouraged me by his advice and counsel, and in giving me money to send them away. The statement which I now have made I have made voluntarily, without any induce ment, other than the regret I feel in having violated the laws of this country, and the desire which now prompts me to make every reparation in my power, by confessing my own fault, and exposing those who have induced me to enter into this illegal business. I make this statement in the hope that it may have its proper influence upon the Government of the United States, in relation to any future action in the prosecution against me. I have made it, however, without any promise as to such future action, placing myself entirely upon the clemency of those who have the power to act in the premises. HENRY HERTZ. In testimony of all which, I hereunto subscribe my name and affix my seal, this 11th day of October, A. D. 1855, and in the eightieth year of the Independence of the said United States. [SEAL.] CHARLES F. HEAZLITT, 498] *Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to district attorneys. [Circular addressed to district attorneys in principal ports of the United States.] ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR Information having been received by the President that preparations are being made in various ports of the United States to recruit men for the invasion of the State of Nicaragua, or otherwise to take part in military operations there, he directs me to call your attention specially to the subject. He desires you to take measures to detect and defeat, so far as it may be lawfully done, all such enterprises, to bring the parties guilty to punishment, and to detain any vessel fitted out to carry on the undertaking. You will please to give seasonable notice if, in any case, occasion shall arise for the exercise of the direct authority of the President in the premises. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, C. CUSHING. Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to Mr. Hallet, United States Attorney. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, [499] *SIR: I am directed by the President to call your attention to combinations, alleged to exist in your district, for the purpose of military invasion of Ireland. While it is difficult to believe that such intention is entertained by any persons in the United States, or, if entertained, that it will reach the stage of an overt, illegal act, nevertheless it seems proper that the subject should have your consideration. The President is, of course, solicitous that no violation of law shall go unrebuked, and especially none which touches our foreign relations, and thus affects the honor and the peace of the whole country. He therefore particularly desires you not to fail to institute criminal proceedings against any persons who shall be found engaged in illegal acts of the character above referred to, or otherwise contrary to our relations of amity with Great Britain. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, To B. F. HALLETT, Esq., United States Attorney, Boston, and HUGH Q. JEWETT, Esq., United States Attorney, southern Ohio. C. CUSHING. [500] * Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to Mr. Inge and Mr. Ord, district attorneys. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I am directed by the President to address you further on the subject of the illegal military enterprises against the State of Nicaragua, which have been and, as it appears, still continue to be carried on from the ports of California. He has perceived with extreme regret that a State with which the United States are at peace, and which on other accounts is entitled to the special good-will of this Government, has thus, in effect, been subjected to invasion. I am aware of the extreme difficulty of detecting the criminal purpose of any persons engaged in such an undertaking, when they embark without visible organization in passenger steamships plying between San Francisco and San Juan del Sud. But the President expects that, by the exercise of particular vigilance in the matter, you will be able to accomplish the desired object. Suggestion has been made of some complicity of the Nicaragua Transit Company in these acts, and that point may be entitled to your consideration. I am, very respectfully, Hon. S. W. INGE, C. CUSHING. Attorney United States, San Francisco, California. PACIFICUS ORD, Esq., United States Attorney, Monterey. [501] Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to Mr. Van Dyke, district attorney ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I had the honor to confer with you personally several weeks since, regarding representations made by the British minister as to alleged combinations on the part of certain persons in the United States to organize an expedition for the military invasion of Ireland, and to request your special attention to the subject, so as to prevent or punish any infringement of our relations of amity with Great Britain. In consequence of a meeting, purporting to have some such object, which has recently occurred in New York, the President directs me again to invite you to vigilance on the subject. While it is difficult to believe that such intention is entertained by any persons in the United States, or, if entertained, that it will reach the stage of an overt illegal act, nevertheless it seems proper that the subject should have your consideration. The President is, of course, solicitous that no violation of law shall go unrebuked, and especially none which touches our foreign relations and thus affects the honor and the peace of the whole country. He, therefore, particularly desires you not to fail to institute criminal proceedings against any person who shall be found engaged in illegal acts of the character above referred to, or otherwise, contrary to our obligations of friendship to Great Britain. [502] *I have the honor to be, very respectfully, JAMES C. VAN DYKE, United States District Attorney. C. CUSHING. Mr. Van Dyke, district attorney, to Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General. OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 140 Walnut street, Philadelphia, December 14, 1855. SIR: Your communication of the 12th instant, in relation to a meeting recently held in the city of New York, supposed to be for the purpose of organizing an expedition for the military invasion of Ireland, and inviting vigilance in the suppression of any infringement of our relations of amity with Great Britain, is this day received. In compliance with your suggestions, I shall, direct my attention to the matter, and also request the marshal of this district to use his best means to ferret out the truth in relation to the organization to which you refer. I am sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. C. CUSHING, Attorney-General. Mr. McCoy, district attorney, to Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General. OFFICE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, SIR: I have this day sent to the collector of this port the original of the accompanying copy. I trust that its tone will meet the requirements embraced in your communication of the 8th instant. [Inclosure.] Mr. McCoy, district attorney, to Colonel Porter, collector, New Orleans. UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICT LOUISIANA, December 17, 1855. SIR: I have been informed that preparations are being made in and about New Orleans for the invasion of Nicaragua; that a considerable body of men have been recruited here, and are on the eve of departure to take part in the military operations of that partially revolutionized government. As far as it may be lawfully done, you will detain any vessel now in this port fitted out to carry on the undertaking; and I particularly request that you will detail a special number of inspectors to search and watch the General Scott, now on the eve of departure, and report to this office the result of your investigation. United States District Attorney, New Orleans, Louisiana: Your letter of the 18th instant, addressed to the Attorney-General, has been submitted to me. Your call upon the collector is fully approved. Continue to act in the premises with the utmost energy and vigilance. You are hereby empowered to exercise all such authority in this relation over the public force as the President may lawfully delegate by virtue of the eighth section of the act of Congress of April 20, 1818. FRANKLIN PIERCE. Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to Mr. McKeon, district attorney. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, December 24, 1855.' SIR: I duly received your communication of the 23d instant, and the documents accompanying the same, having reference to the engagement and preparation of persons in the State of New York for military service in the state of Nicaragua. You will have received my dispatch by telegraph notifying you of the order given by the President to Captain Bigelow, of the United States Navy, to proceed according to your advice in the detention of any vessel whatsoever implicated in proceedings contrary either to statute or to treaty stipulations, and desiring you to act in the premises upon all proper information. This applies more espe cially, of course, to the steamer Northern Light. If there shall have been occasion to act on the brief order sent [505] to Captain Bigelow by telegraph, or *there should be good reason to suppose that there will. be occasion so to do in the sequel, orders to the same effect and in more complete form will be transmitted by mail. I have the honor to be, &c., Hon. JOHN MCKEON, United States District Attorney, New York. C. CUSHING. [506] *Mr. McKeon, district attorney, to Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General. SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, December 26, 1855. SIR: A warrant has been issued by George W. Morton, esq., United States commissioner, against Parker H. French, charged with an offense against the laws of the United States, recently committed. Mr. French claims to be a diplomatic representative of the state of Nicaragua, and the offense charged against him was committed by him since assuming such character. I have to request to be informed of the President's directions as to whether said warrant should be executed. I am, with high respect, &c., Hon. CALEB CUSHING, EON, JOHN MCKEON, United States District Attorney. Attorney-General. Mr. Cushing, Attorney-General, to Mr. McKeon, district attorney. ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I have received your letter of the 26th instant, in which you state that a warrant has been issued against Parker H. French, claiming to be a diplomatic representative of the state of Nicaragua, for an offense against the laws of the United States, charged to have been committed by said French recently, and since he assumed such character, and [507] as to which you request to be informed whether *the said warrant shall be executed. In reply, the President directs me, in the first place, to refer you to the following paragraphs of my letter of the 24th instant, viz: You will perceive that Mr. French is entitled to diplomatic privileges in the United States only in a very qualified degree. He is not an accredited minister, but simply a person coming to this country to present himself as such, and not received, by reason of its failing to appear that he represents any lawful government. Under such cir cumstances any diplomatic privilege accorded to him is of mere transit, and of courtesy, not of right, and that courtesy will be withdrawn from him so soon as there shall be cause to believe that he is engaged in here, or contemplates, any act not consistent with the laws, the peace, or the public honor of the United States. He directs me to say, in the second place, that proceeding in the spirit of the fullest consideration for the diplomatic character, he desires you to notify Mr. French of the present charges, and to inform him that no process in behalf of the United States will be served upon him, pro |