Charles R. Lowell to Daniel Sweeney, September 30, 1881

Mr. Lowell to Mr. Sweeney.

Sir: I have to acknowledge the reception of your letter of the 27th instant, and in compliance with the request therein contained, I herewith inclose the certificate of your naturalization and the warrant of your arrest.

So far from treating your appeal for release “with contempt,” it is proper for me to say that on the 10th of June last I addressed a note to Lord Granville, stating your American citizenship and your denial that you had ever incited any people in Ireland to riot, but, on the contrary, had advised against the commission of crime and the violation of law. I also stated that I should be glad to be informed of the particulars of the charge against you.

Lord Granville, in his reply of the 28th of June, declined to recognize any distinction between the liability of foreigners and British subjects in respect of unlawful acts committed within the limits of British jurisdiction. He added that the government had no reason to believe that there was ground to suppose that American citizens had met with exceptional treatment.

And, in another note, dated the 8th of July last, he stated, in regard to my request to be furnished with particulars as to the unlawful acts alleged to have been committed by Mr. Walsh, that the government could make no distinction between foreigners and British subjects, and that in the case of the latter the only information that could be given was that contained in the warrant.

Under these circumstances, and in the absence of any information showing that your case was different from that of the great majority of others where parties were arrested under the coercion act, I did not think it proper to intervene any further in your behalf.

I am, sir, &c.,