Benjamin Moran to William H. Seward, June 12, 1868

Mr. Moran to Mr. Seward

Sir: Dispatches numbered 5, 6, and 7, and your unofficial note of the 29th of May, were received yesterday at this legation from the Department of State.

I have already arranged to see Lord Stanley on the subject of your dispatch No. 5, at 1 o’clock on Monday. Should his reply be that Mr. Thornton will be authorized to open negotiations with you soon, at Washington, on the question of expatriation, I will telegraph at once. But in any event you shall have a dispatch reporting the interview by next Wednesday’s steamer.

I had not lost sight of the commission appointed to examine the British naturalization laws, of which Lord Clarendon is chairman. It consists, besides himself, of Sir Roundell Palmer, the attorney-general, Sir J. B. Karslake, the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Mr. W. E. Forster, Sir Bobert Phillimore, Sir T. Twiss, Baron Branwell, Mr. Vernon Harcourt, and Professor Montague Bernard. It held its first meeting on Wednesday, the 10th instant, and will meet again to-day. I have reason to know that there is a feeling among the majority of the members to recommend a change in the present law of a liberal nature, and also a desire to bring the work of the commission to as early a close as the nature of the subjects to be considered will allow; and I understand that there is a strong inclination to recommend the repeal of the laws granting juries de mediatate linguœ.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,