Hume Burnley to William H. Seward, December 22, 1864

Mr. Burnley to Mr. Seward

Sir: On receipt of your note of the 13th instant, relative to the supposed imposition practiced on her Majesty’s consul at New York, in the case of the Harrises, of the Young Republic, by means of false and fraudulent affidavits, I at once put myself in communication with Mr. Archibald, desiring him to investigate the matter, and to report to me on the subject.

From the reply of Mr. Archibald, a copy of which I have the honor to enclose, I regret to say that the suppositions of the War Department in this respect seem to have been but too well founded.

At the same time, in justification of Mr. Archibald, I am bound to say that he seems to have done all that was right and proper on this occasion. He seems throughout to have been in communication with General Dix, to whom his suspicions were imparted; and had it not been for the unworthy part played by Rainey in this transaction, and the false oaths taken by the witnesses brought forward, I have no doubt that the truth would have been arrived at. In all cases submitted, the affidavits are forwarded as received, with the proviso that, should the statement be found correct, or the circumstances of the case warrant the applicant’s release, he may be liberated, and not on any other grounds.

It would be impossible for her Majesty’s consul thoroughly to sift all the applications which are daily and hourly made at his office, more particularly when men are found base enough to perjure themselves in the shameless way in which these witnesses seem to have done. The machinery at the command of the War Office enables them to do this much more effectually, and I should be the first person to wish that a thorough investigation should take place, in order to prevent the innocent and guilty from being mixed up in one common doom. I regret quite as much as Mr. Archibald that these men have regained their liberty under false pretences.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,