Charles Francis Adams to Right Hon. Earl Russell, April 18, 1863

Mr. Adams to Lord Russell.

My Lord: I am very much obliged to you for the courtesy extended to me in the communication of the substance of a report which has been made to her Majesty’s government with regard to the number of persons who are now being shipped as emigrants from Queenstown.

The fact that a great many people, especially in Ireland, have been anxious for some time past to find their way to the United States, has been made known to me by the frequent applications to this legation for free passage. A considerable proportion of these contain offers to enlist in the service of the government. No doubt they are more or less influenced by the high bounties offered in America, accounts of which have been from time to time published in the newspapers here. To all such solicitations the answer given from here has been uniformly to the effect that no authority has been given by the government to listen to any proposals of the kind, or to make any engagements whatever. Instructions have likewise been sent to the respective consuls who have reported similar proposals to me to make the same answer. I have no reason to believe that any American citizen in England clothed with authority has ventured to act in any other way.

It is proper for me to add, in explanation of the emigration that is taking place, that a gentleman of influence in America now in London, who is in a situation to know, has lately informed me that some of the great corporations for the extension of railways in the western part of the United States having experienced inconvenience from the liability of the laborers in their employ to be drafted for the war, and apprehending more, are making efforts to procure large supplies from other countries of aliens who are, from that circumstance, exempted from the risk of being called into service. It may well be that some of those who desire to get across the ocean for the purpose of enlisting expect to take advantage of the opportunity thus placed before them.

In addition to this, there is no doubt of the fact of a scarcity of laborers in the United States. I learn from private sources that the rate of wages is very much advanced.

I am led to believe that these causes, in addition to the alleged distress of the population of Ireland, may explain the phenomena of emigration to which your lordship has been pleased to draw my attention.

I pray your lordship to accept the assurances, &c., &c.,