I have written to him in reply to apprise him that on my last visit to
Lord Stanley, when I made a representation of his case, he informed me
that it was the intention of the government to bring him to trial at
Dublin at the next assizes. If they should fail to do so, my opinion is
that he will then be liberated.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Nagle to Mr. Adams
Mountjoy Prison, Dublin,
April 6, 1868.
Sir: I have been over ten months in close
confinement deprived of every right belonging to a free man;
suffering in body and mind—my health broken, my family injured, my
social and business connections destroyed. I do not appeal to you,
honorable sir, for the purpose of exciting your sympathy or to ask
your influence to procure me any favor from my oppressors. But I
address you as a free-born citizen of the United States suffering
outrage and wrong from a foreign power which has failed to prove any
just cause for its oppression of me, but continues to hold me in its
prisons notwithstanding my repeated demands for freedom and the
earnest request of the government of my country for my release, and
in a vindictive, malicious spirit has conspired against my liberty
and seeks to destroy my every hope in life.
Six months have elapsed since a charge of treason-felony was brought
against me. A month ago I was for the second time indicted on the
same charge, yet I remain a prisoner without trial.
I hope it may not be considered presumptuous in me or as evincing a
spirit of impatience if I respectfully ask why, my character as an
American citizen being acknowledged, if my right and liberty as such
are entitled to any consideration; and if so, how long a foreign
power may with impunity deprive me of all without any just
cause.
I respectfully submit that my imprisonment has been thus prolonged by
the premeditated action of the Crown authorities; that I was
arrested without any warrant of law or evidence of any character
against me, confined in prison and kept there until through
conspiracy, intrigue, bribery and perjury some appearance of
justification for the action against me might be produced and an
attempt made to consign me to the slavery and horrors of a British
convict prison.
The grand jury of Dublin county on their oaths declared I had
committed treason in Dublin, yet I was not tried for it because it
suited the purpose of the Crown better to gain time, and after an
interval of five months take me to a remote part of Ireland, where
another grand jury on their oaths declared me guilty of acts of
treason in the county of Sligo.
The Crown authorities were well aware of the fact that a jury de medietate could not be found in Sligo
before I was taken there. But the object (more time and my continued
punishment) was gained. So these proceedings may continue until I am
indicted in every county in Ireland, for no doubt juries can be
found equally facile in every part of the country. In the mean time
I may linger and die in prison unless the government of my country
demands my release.
The expense incurred by my government in my defense is already large.
I am deeply grateful, for had I not been so defended I would in all
probability be now enduring the slavery of a British convict prison
condemned by a mockery of justice for acts I never committed. But
through the management of the Crown lawyers all this expenditure of
money has been without avail or effect, and if brought to trial at
some future time, I am defenseless unless my government deems it
proper to incur further expense on my account. This is certainly a
wrong to the government and a great hardship to me. If you have not
received instructions to take further action on my behalf, I
respectfully ask of you to forward this letter to the honorable
Secretary at
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Washington,
with the hope that some decisive steps may be taken for my release
before my health becomes so utterly ruined as to render the balance
of my life miserable and liberty of no value or enjoyment to me.
I have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. C. F. Adams, United States Minister,
London.
