Today in History:

1266 Series II Volume II- Serial 115 - Prisoners of War

Page 1266 PRISONERS OF WAR, ETC.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 31, 1862.

Honorable HANNIBAL HAMLIN,

Vice-President of the United States and Pres. of the Senate.

SIR: In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 26th instant the Secretary of State has the honor to transmit a copy of the correspondence* between this Department and the Honorable Franklin Pierce, ex-President of the United States, upon the subject of a supposed conspiracy against this Government and of all other papers on file here relating to the same.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, April 1, 1862.

F. W. SEWARD, Esq., Assistant Secretary of State.

SIR: I will be obliged if you will inform me of the Christian name and residence of the Doctor Hopkins who is mentioned in a debate on a resolution of inquiry offered in the Senate by Mr. Latham on the 26th ultimo at the instance of ex-President Pierce. Persons in my district who have an interest in ascertaining the identity of the person in question desire me to obtain the information.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. J. BIDDLE.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, April 4, 1862.

JOHN W. FORNEY, Esq., Secretary U. S. Senate, Washington.

DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 3rd instant has been received. In reply to your inquiry I have to inform you that the full name of the Doctor Hopkins mentioned in the "Pierce correspondence" is Dr. Guy S. Hopkins.

Very truly, yours,

F. W. SEWARD.

COMMISSION RELATING TO STATE PRISONERS,

New York, April 8, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: We have the honor to inform you that we have had under consideration the case of Mr. David C. Wattles, of North Branch, Mich., and respectfully recommend that he be discharged from custody upon giving his written parole of honor not to render aid or comfort to the enemies in hostility to the Government of the United States, being the conditions upon which he was tendered his discharge on the 22nd day of February last by your order.

We have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX,

EDWARDS PIERREPONT,

Commissioners.

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*Omitted here. The correspondence transmitted included Seward to Pierce, December 20, with the inclosed extract from the anonymous letter of October 5, p. 1257; Pierce to Seward, December 24, p. 1257; Seward's response, December 30, p. 1260; the anonymous letter entire, addressed to "R. M. C.," p. 1248; Hopkins to Seward, November 29, p. 1250, but did not include Pierce to Seward, January 7, 1862, p. 1261. The omission occasioned further debate in the Senate, during which Senator Latham read the omitted letter, which appears in the proceedings of the Senate printed in the Congressional Globe for April 3, 1862, pp. 1489-1490. -COMPILER.

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Page 1266 PRISONERS OF WAR, ETC.