BROWN, United States Consular Clerk to Bradford R. Wood, April 26, 1882

Mr. Brown to Mr. Wood.

Sir: In compliance with your instructions, I left Belfast at 9 a. m., on Monday, the 24th instant, for Monaghan, and arrived there about 12 m. I at once proceeded to Her Majesty’s prison and requested an interview with the prisoner Henry O’Mahoney. The warden of the prison received me with courtesy, and at once sent for Mahoney. I then communicated to the latter the statement of Mr. Lowell’s letter. Mahoney seemed undecided whether he would accept the terms implied in that communication as to his departure for America. It did not appear that he had any information that he had been or was to be pardoned.

On leaving Monaghan I was obliged, in order to reach Dundalk that evening, to drive to Clones. On reaching Dundalk it was too late for an interview with the prisoner Daniel McSweeney, but I was able to arrange for an interview on the following morning. This took place about 11 o’clock a. m. Before making Mr. Lowell’s communication to McSweeney, he at once said that he would not accept his liberation on the condition of returning to the United States.

In both these cases the prisoners observed that the departure for the United States was a condition of their liberation, although no communication beyond the words of Mr. Lowell’s letter was made. The warder at Dundalk gave me a copy of a letter, dated the 24th instant, from Dublin Castle (which is hereto appended), advising him of the liberation of McSweeney on condition of his leaving Ireland for the United States. I was advised that it had not, at the time of my interview, been made known to McSweeney.

In view of the indecision of O’Mahoney and the declaration of McSweeney as to the acceptance of liberation on the condition of proceeding to the United States, I informed them, agreeably to your instructions, that the consul at Belfast would carry out Mr. Lowell’s instructions as to the payment of the money to each of them in case they were liberated by Her Majesty’s Government, provided he should not in the mean time receive instructions revoking his authority in this respect.

I am, &c.,