The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-30

30h of April that MIR Champion positively denies the
charge Of completely in any OF the acts OF illegal enlist
snt ID he United States aud that the three consuls in
cupaed do the He assumes that the charge against
is sustained mainly by the evidence OF two persons
Strobel aud Hertz whom he conceiyes 10 DC unworthy
credit aud be appeals the American government 70 ae
cept conclusive the declarations Of the minister ana con-
suls am instructed TO say that these 40
not relieve the Presidents mind Of the uniavorable i'm
pressons produced by the conduct OF those gentlemen IN
relation TO foreign recruitment IN the United States
Ii will be seen by referring TO my despatch OF the 26h
of December in which the grounds of charge against Mr.
Champion fully stated that the testimony oil Srooe
aud Hertz quite secondary, and an unmporian part
OF the evidence adduced the charge being supported in
dependeny Of their testimony by other witnesses, by
original letters of Mr. Champion and Others and by unde
MED and undeniable acts OF Mr.. Champion,
As to Strobel and Hertz however II may be observed
that the documents transmitted by Lord Clarendon, as
proving those persons unworthy of credit entitled to
but little weight consisting as they do, chiefly OF e1 Par
adayits detailing matters mostly Of mere heursay AND
whatever may have been the character OF those persons
it by follows that they did not testify TO the
truth They were agents selected ana uus'ea " m,'
Champion himself and to them he committed most import
ant concerns Such endorsement should eountervai
the impeachment Of their yerac founded on loose hear
say reports Nor does il to be thing Of much mo-
ment in relation TO the present question: that Stroue IN
consequence OF imputed misconduct was dismissed troin
employ by the lieutenant governor OF Nova Scotia
and afterwards endeavored to obtain money from Mr
Champion. The fact remains that he held commission IN
the British Foreign Legion and that 1t Is clearly proved
and not denied he maintained as recruiting officer and
for considerable period Of time association personally
by correspondence with Mr. Champion.
The employment Of Strobel by Mr. Champion, their long
association in the joint work Ct recruiting in the United
States for the Foreign Legion the distinction OF her Maes
tvs commission OF captain in that corps conferred ON Sro
bel, would seem, least to deprive Mr. Champion OF the
right to deny bis credibity as witness
But there il larger and more comprehensive class OF
considerations applicable to this particular question For
period Of nearly five monthsthat is from about the mid
die OF March, 1885, to the 9th OF August l555the peace
and order OF this country disturbed especially in the
cities Of Boston, New York. Philadelphia and Cincinnati
by the unlawful acts of persons engaged in rails
in no
Legion They supplied with ample funds by British
agents They obsnatey resisted and set at nauRh all the
efforts of the local authorities of the United States toput
stop to their proceedings did they desis until they re-
ceved orders that effect from the British government in
the month Of August The recruits thus unawfuy raised
in the United States during all that time conveyed by
British agents to Halifax and there enrolled Ia the For
eign Legion.
All these acts ss well their egality notorious,
Long before the trial of Hertz in September and OF Wag
in October they must have been brought to the par
tcuar notice of Mr. Champion, the British consuls, and
other agents by preliminary judicial inquiries, which took
place both at New York and Philadelphia.
In consequences of the steps to that effect taken by me
the ed of March, the proper instructions were issued
the 23d and prosecutions commenced in Philadelphia
on the 30,h of March, aud in New York the 5th of
April
As example Of the character of these proceedings their
notoety and their conclusive legal effect what occurred
in May deserves particular notice.
At New York, on the 18th Of May, number of per-
sons--namely Godfred, Wacher, Wilhelm Schumacher,
Julius Parkus Oscar Cromey and Andrew Luz-were ex-
anned before Commissioned Bette, the charge OF re-
crumen for the service of Great Britain Eminent coun-
gel employed by the parties accused who argued that
offence had been committed because II did not appear
that any valid contract OF enlistment had been consum
mated But this ground of defence overruled by the
commissioner wEo though he discharged Wachter for de-
fecve evidence, committed Lui2 Schumacher Cromey,
and Parkus.
At Philadelphia on the 25h of May three persons Hertz
Perkins, and Buckna having been arrested on the charge
Of illegal recruiting in the service Of Great Britain applied
to the circuit Of the United States by habeds corpus
70 be discharged from custody The presiding Judge the
Hon. John X Kane, examination of the evidence taken
In the case before commissioned found that the proofs
were sufficient to bring the acts Of Hertz and Perkins with
In the conditions of the law but not so as TO Buckna
Accordingly the latter discharged but the two former
were committed for trial.
Thus SO carly May il was udcially shown that what
doing in this respect unlawful Mr.. Champion
acquainted with these proceedings and thus sufficient
ly admonshed that the acts of recruitment carried
der bis authority did, in fact whatever may have been his
intention constitute violation Of the municipal law OF
the United States This had been decided by the
the United States and publicly and extensively made
Known II is not controvertedndeed, 1t Is admitted
that he had The recruiting business in his charge and
der his control yet be permitted it to be continued al
though judcialy determined to be unlawful through the
month Of May, jane, and July, into August
Now this long series OF acts unlawful ana otherwise pre-
judicial to the good and the tranquility OF this
try, were performed by persons who literally paid by
British officers and many Of whom actually entered the
military service Of Great Britain That ncontesaby
proved the trial Of Hertz and Wagner by evidence
which has not been, and cannot be- impesched and al
though the evidence ad1ced on those trials need
corroboration still II may not be amis add that much
other evidence 10 the effect in the possession OF this
government OF which is annexed 10 this despatch In
the form Of documents responsive to those accompan
the letter OF the Earl Of Clarendon.
Who Is 10 be held accountable for these unlawful acts
Were they all performed by volunteer and irresponsible per
sons argued in the Earl Of Carendou despatch OF the 9Th
OF July That cannot be ADMITTED Cor the conclusive
son that they received pay from British officers and Of
course employed by responsible agents Of the
British government
The Earl OF Clarendon In behalf Of her Majest govern
ment disclams all intention to violate the laws compro
mse The neutrality dsrespect the sovereignty OF the
United States by ensting troops within their territory
with, this disclaimer OF course the unlav Ia ques
ton not authorized by the British government but
the fact Is nevertbeesa well established that they
done and done In the name and at the expense Of the
Britsh government Who then, Ia responsible for thos,
tth7 We're there direct proofthough there Is much
d that Characteristic inference would be irresistible tha
% being authorized by the British government itself they
tbc unauthorized acts Of British agents in the United
Sa&d Such agents having acted la wlful disregard o.
IL 6Ydcrs OF their government in thus infringing
lava may have failed 10 inform their government tina
what they bad undertaken do could not be done with
out infringing those laws; by Encouragement indS
ction, Overhead they may have participated In sucl
tshes and the express orders Of their government How
ever this be- is certain that agents existed bee
their acts appear Who those agenis2
OF this not left in doubt In the documents on
the subject recently laid before Parliament II Is distinctly
stated that the cnsmcnts In the United States did MOI
stop until Mr. Champion gave orders for their cessation
the 9th Of August He had power TO stop The acts OF
hstmsnt he knew the proceedings WERE from the com
mencement exceedingly offensive this government and
waa bound to knowhe could but know what was no
torious to all the worldhat through the months April