The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-25
OUR ENGLISH CLAIMS.
Owners Of Vessels Destroyed by the Anglo
Rebel Pirates PetitiOning Congress to
Demand Redress from England.
The Case OF the Ship Nora, Burned
by the Alabama.

Petition Presented TO the House OF Repre-
sentatives by Mr. Hooper, December -.
To THE HoNcRABrx SENATE AND HOUSE or RKPREsES-
TArIvrs, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED
The petition OF Geo B. Upton and Geo. b. Upton, Jr,
respectfully represents that memorial was addressed
BY them 70 the hon VIM. h Seward, Secretary OF
State, which memorial was NJ follows
TO the Hon Wn H SEWARD, Secretary Of State, Wash
The memorial or George B. Upton and George B. Up
ton. Jr. citizens Of the United States residing In sos
ton, in the State OF Massachusetts, sole Of the
American ~.s MS, snip Nor, respectfully represent
ship left the port OF Bangor In the United States for
the port Of Liverpool in Grca, Britain the 2ath day
OF November 1862 That said ship arrived In safety at
said port Of Liverpool where after being discharged she
was laden with cargo upon the charter Of Mr. w. n.
undersigned having no other personal interest
N said cargo than the usual iep for the
ssSnI ns Inc being as @ 70
from the port OF Liverpool about tho fifteenth day
OF February OF the year. and had proceeded upon
her voyage as far as latitude deg % min north ongi
tude 20 deg. 80 minutes west, when she boarded
by and declared to be prize to a vessel calling herself
''tho Confederate States man. of.war Alabama who
Immediately took possession of said ship against the
OF the MASTER and who further proceeded
TO remove sundry stores from said ship, and on the
twenty seventh day OF March said ship set fire by
the order OF one Semmes calling himself the captain Of
said steamer and totally destroyed. and said officers
and crew were taken from the said ship Nora and kept
on board said pratical steamer Alabama from the date
OF the destruction Of said ship until the sixteenth day OF
April last past.
And now We the said George B. Upton and George B.
Upton Jr sole owners OF said ship do enter solemn
protest against the destruction thereof and do by these
presents demand of the government of Great Britain
full rcparaon for the in the OF eighty thou
sand dollars Of the OF the United States being
destruction
Your memorlaiss would further represent that they
make and predicate this protest and demand upon the
facts hereinafter stated which be verified whenever
4, shall be- found necessary to do Said vessel calling
herself "tbe Confederate States OF war Alabama
10 ,ltcl,.
port of Birkenhead and was allowed to leave British
waters, although information to her character. and
commerce Of the United states then and peace
with Great Britain lodged with the British govern
ment That said steamer Alabama then called the
29O) was allowed to leave said waters upon giving
bond TO return, which II well known intended
to be forfeited That she did leave the waters OF CIR at
Britain tho latter part Of july 1862 under the procc
ton OF the British flag and manned by British subjects
That had the American man of war Tuycnrora any
other legally authorized man owar OF the United States
seized her utter leaving said British waters she would
have claimed her British ownership and her flag as her
protection But said steamer allowed to leave port
under the prctence OF making trial trip and has never
been in any port OF the socallcd Confederate States
So AZ to change her flag or to be otherwise than British
vessel
Your memoralsis would further represent that said
steamer, after thus fauduicntly leaving the ports OF
Great Britain AGAINST the Queens proclamation OF
raliiy repeatedly visited or came within the jurisdiction
OF certain British islands in the Atlantic Ocean, when
and whore was well known and patent to the world
that she had destroyed American vessels on the high
British government M they we're In duty bound 10 do
s .s ss % S.r aB e and
animation was ever made BY said British government
through shetr sonsttuted syents asdo fcers 70 the
manning OF said steamer by British subjects, Of the
prostitution Of the British dag by thus giving protection
TO the piracies committed under Its folds and that she
your memoriasts ship Nora principally manned by said
British subjects
In view OF these matters and others which may be
made TO appear your emoriAlists do and forever
ent their solemn protest against the British govern
mon, and people, willing parties neggcntly culpabe
In the destruction Of their property upon tho high
and thus in first violating the proclamation OF the Queen
by building and manning sad steamer and then allow
Ing her 70 continue her dcprcdations.
And they ask, through tho government Of the United
States that proper representation may be madc Of their
loss, that In tho end duo reparation be made to
them By the said government OF Great Britain, that
tho government Of the United States may assume tho
same as ono OF tho governmental obligations 10 protect
tho rights OF their citizens. thus wantonly violated
gro n UPTON,
GEO D, UPTON IN
Unised Staes q America, Commonwealth Of AasacAsse
Be Il known 10 all whom il doth OF may concern, that
on ns 18th day Of July In the year Of Lord 1888
tho peace, under the great seal Of the Commonwealth
duly commissioned and sworn, ut Office In the city Of
sdsg s oy . 70.
known and madc before the foregoing memorial and
protest. declaring the to be just and truc; where
FORE at the request Of the said appearcr have caused
tho TO be verified by the oaths OF said appearcr
and TO b. entered In my notara records serve
In ier,mony whereof hereto any nv onicia rea the
day OF the date above written. JOHN $ TYLER
Notary Public and Justice OF the Peace.
Your petitioners further represent that said memorial
and protest forwarded TO the Hon Charles Francis
Adams Minister Of the United States At the Court Of ST.
James, and by him presented TO the British govern
cnt that said British government instead Of consider
ing the matters therein charged and showing wherein
the ,s SANE Were false de1y the Eh Of The
TONERS powcrless In themselves TO enforce their
claims. In time Of peace war upon American
number Of vessels having been fitted out In her ports
for that purpose One Of thcse pirates, the Alabama,
few hours thereafter assumed nag new 10 the world,
for tho purpose OF preying upon unarmcd American
Confederate States, whose flag she affected TO
Gag which derived all power the from Great
Britain hcrscf-and, under the construction given by
the government Of that country 70 IFS own neutrality
laws she could return TO tho ports and protection OF that
nation within few hours after leaving them. She dc
stroycd American by burning ships the high
without adjudication Of the by any legal
court and, after committing said Illegal acts, was re
ccivcd into British ports with all the honors Of
recruited and refreshed therein, and allowed leave
without hndrance and 10 pursue her nefarious occupa-
ton as in the destruction Of your petitioners sp Nora
Your petitioners further constrained 10 believe that
the British government allowed It's cupdty 10 ride
all considerations Of national honor and under
the dclusve idea that the American Cnon was virtually
destroyed, and that the American government not
then, would be- In a situation 10 protect the in
tercss OF its citizens and rightly judging that IN the
successful destruction Of American millions OF
wealth would thus be thrown into the hands OF It's
subjects
Relieving a. your petitioners do that nations
sponsbe which, through the want Of neutrality laws
OF the proper construction and enforcement OF such do
exist give their support and sanction 10 piracies
mtted by vessels built manned and fitted out In their
ports, and thus allow their subjects to make
upon those OF other nations In time OF peace and be-
hevng that no Immediate compensation can be obtained
by them from the British government; knowing more
over they were in wise In fault that their property
Illegally destroyed they only last resource,
petition their government 10 pay them tho value of
their said ship the date Of her destruction and
charge the 10 the government which permitted The
outrage GEO II. UPTON,
GEO u. UPTON, in
The British W.. The United states Govern
ment.
TO ruH EDITOR or THE HERALD.