Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I had yesterday the honor to receive a note from you, dated the 9th instant, transmitting to me copies of a despatch from the United States consul at Nassau and its enclosures, relating to the circumstances which attended a recent visit of the United States war steamer Rhode Island to that port.
You are so good as to inform me that you place these papers in my hands with the view that, if I should think it useful, in the interest of harmony between the two countries, to bring the supposed partiality of Mr. Bayley, governor of the Bahama islands, to the notice of my government, I may have the means of doing so.
As you have communicated the papers to me, it will be my duty to lay them before her Majesty’s government and before Governor Bayley. I deem it, however, to be right that I should guard myself against being supposed either to concur in the inferences drawn by the United States Secretary of the Navy and the United States consul at Nassau, or to be of opinion that representations of this nature are calculated to promote harmony between the officers of the two governments.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.