PERIOD FEOM 1871 TO 1905. 959 



In my reply to you on the 19th of July, I promised to comply with 

 your request, and for that reason I now remark that the incident 

 which has been the subject of this correspondence affords but another 

 illustration and additional evidence, if any were needed, of the un- 

 wisdom of imperiling the friendly relations of two kindred and neigh- 

 boring countries by intrusting the interpretation and execution of a 

 treaty between them to the discretion of local and petty officials, and 

 vesting in them powers of administration wholly unwarranted and 

 naturally prolific of the irritations which wise and responsible rulers 

 will always seek to avoid. 



On the eve of a negotiation touching closely the honor and interests 

 of two great nations, I venture to express the hope that the antici- 

 pated result of our joint endeavors to harmonize all differences may 

 render it hereafter impossible to create a necessity for those repre- 

 senting our respective Governments to be called upon to consider 

 such questions as are presented in the case of the Laura Sayward. 

 I have, etc., 



T. F. BAYARD. 



[Inclosure.] 



Affidavits of Capt. Medeo Rose and Augustus Rogers. 



I, Medeo Rose, of Gloucester, being under oath, do depose and say, 

 that I was master of -the schooner Laura Sayward during the year 

 1886, and that I am now master of the schooner Gleaner of Gloucester. 



On April 18, 1887, 1 went into the lower harbor of Shelburne, Nova 

 Scotia, in said schooner Gleaner for shelter and water. 



On the morning of April 19, Mr. Atwood, the collector of customs, 

 with two men wearing badges, which I supposed were Government 

 badges, came on board. Their appearance filled me with fear, for I 

 felt some trouble must be in store for me when Collector Atwood 

 would leave his office and come so far (about 4 miles) to board my 

 vessel. I invited him into the cabin, where he showed me a copy of 

 my statement of October 13, 1886, in regard to the treatment I re- 

 ceived from him when in schooner Laura Sayward (October 5, 1886), 

 and asked me if I made that statement. I told him I did. Well, said 

 he, everything in that statement is false. I told him my statement 

 was true. He then produced a prepared written statement, which he 

 read to me, which stated that my statement of October 13 was 

 untrue, and told me I must go on shore and sign it. Being nervous 

 and frightened, and fearing trouble if I refused, I went on shore 

 with him to the store of Mr. Purney, and before Mr. Purney signed 

 and swore to the statement. 



On the afternoon of the same day, realizing the wrong I had done, 

 I hired a team and, with one of my crew (Augustus Rogers), went to 

 the custom-house and asked Collector Atwood to read to me the state- 

 ment I had signed. He did so, and I again told him it was wrong 

 and that my first statement was true. 



He said I did not ask for all the articles mentioned in my first state- 

 ment; that he did not refuse me my paper, and also that that state- 

 ment might be the cause of his removal from his office. I told him I 

 did not want to injure him, and I did not want to make myself out 

 a liar at Washington. 



