1895.] 11* [Potts. 



some of the members of the Govt, with a view to measures to stop the 

 iron-plated ships. I did what I could before I left London. Affairs in 

 the States are very critical. There seems a strange want of foresight and 

 of force at Washington and I fear this has bred disgust and hopelessness 

 among the People. 



"Why pay and fight under Leaders totally incompetent to lead and 

 win ? Is not this a possible feeling ? 



"Again, has the Slavery poison gone so deep as to have polluted and 

 enfeebled the free States that they cannot subdue the revolution which 

 threatens to destroy them ? 



"History may answer this question — I cannot. 



"I have kept my faith till now — and I shall not part with it except as I 

 should part with my life's hope. 



" Perhaps another week or two may bring better tidings — I will hope 

 still. 



" Yours very Sincerely, 



"John Bright. 



"Thos. H. Dudley, Esq., U. S. Consulate, 

 Liverpool." 



Among the curious miscellaneous correspondence of Mr. Dudley rela- 

 ting to his consulate at Liverpool during the war of the rebellion, were a 

 large number of letters from persons who stated they desired to enlist in 

 the service of the United States. They were sometimes very descriptive 

 of the applicant and often original and amusing, showing considerable 

 egotism and conceit. Many of these were undoubtedly written in good 

 faith, while others were most likely written by spies and those who wished 

 to entrap the American Consul in an offense against the laws of Great 

 Britain. Most appear to have been written by Irishmen whose animosity 

 to England is quite evident, and some were from those who had no real 

 intention of joining the army of the United States, but desired to use this 

 method as a means to obtain a free passage. 



We regret that we have not spape to give a few of these to show the 

 variety of men the American Consul had to deal with. They have au 

 historic interest as a picture of the times. 



Many of tliese letters being from men then in Lancashire where the 

 operatives were starving through the shutting off of the cotton supply for 

 the mills by the blockade, will bring to mind the passage in one of the 

 above letters of John Bright to Mr. Dudley, April 23, 1863, where he 

 says : "If your Govt, were to offer a free passage to 50,000 people from 

 Lancashire, I think they might get them." 



Mr. Dudley was constantly subjected to insults and threitening letters, 

 sneers, and social evidences with the plainest remarks of hatred for him as 

 the representative of the United States. The flag at the consulate was 

 often found with tin kettles and bricks tied to it as an object of contempt. 

 On one occasion it is believed personal violence was intended in an assault 



