The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-29 00:00:00

Kidnapping by the Federals.

With reference to the case of George Hopper, of
Sunderland, who it is alleged has been entrapped
into the Federal army, the following letter has been
addressed to Earl Russell by Mr Lindsay, M.P.
5, Austin Friars, City, Octob3r 20, IBGL—My
enclose for your lordship's .consideratien a letter from a
young man, George John Hopper, to his parents, who
reside in the borough of Sunderland, which I have the
honour to represent in Parliament. The letter is sent to
me by Mr J. R. Hodge, the ruler of pilots at Sunderland,
who vouches for Hopper's respectability. It appears that
sHerevpipnegr,thwohoreicisuoinsiltay
nlBunlyebaerrsooff
voyages
was in the course of
himself to be competent to follow hyiasgfeasthaetrs'sealtiqPgeatill'
that of a pilot at the port of Sunderland. It further
appears that, for the purpose I have named, Hopper, ia
January last, sailed in the Jessie Scott, from Sunderland
for Pernambuco, and returned to Liverpool in the same
ship in June last ; at that port he joined the Chancellor,
also a British ship, and on the 22d June sailed in her for
New York, where he arrived about the beginning of 181
month. Two days after his arrival he was entrapped
811,
carried off to the United States army of the Potomac, where
he was on the 22d ult. The case, then, presented to your
lordship is simply this :—A subject of her Majesty, under
the immediate protection of treaty, has been intoxicatedro
poisonously drugged, in the city of New York, 14
per
sons acting in the interest of the Government benefit
United States, and that Government has taken the :
of such cruel and lawless act by retaining the services of
the captive. The unfortunate subject, it would appear, too
ignorant to know through what channels to appeal f°l.
redress, was immediately hurried to the field of
and is retained there against his will, exposed to the riBl‘
of a daily recurring combat. I assume that the statement!
in his letter to his parents are true, for none can read it
eception.
and doubt. His simple ignorance precludes d
But the occarion is imminent. It may be that this young
man is killed or maimed for Me before the most ACtilij,
interference can come to his relief. I feel it incumbee"
on me, therefore, as his immediate representative, to vlll°M..
the appeal is made, to ask of your lordship that he'
Majesty's Minister at Washington be directed to require
that without delay, for the purpose of inquiry or other'
wise, the young man in question be brought to hie Pre;
Bence, and if the Government of the United States, aft'
battle,
his personal safety is thus ensured, desire inquiry to be
made, it can then be made. I do not, of course, kn°W..
what like cases of actual kidnapping oi subjects of fie'
Majesty, under the auspices of the present policy of rh°
Government of the United States, may have been brongb..!w
directly to the notice of the Foreigh Office—but Ido wed
,1
that the public journals of that country keep us inform
that such cases are constantly occurring with very 038'''
ignorant and helpless foreigners who find themselvoe,eTl;
protected in their cities. I have desired to give Publf:
to this in England under the sanction of my name, and j
the proof herewith submitted to your lordship, and hop°
shall be pardoned, therefore, for sending this coanun\-y..
tion to your lordship at once to the press.—l an),
S. LINDSAY.