§ MR. HOPWOODsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether Her Majesty's Government are aware that the Federals are recruiting in Ireland, and if they are preparing to take active steps to prevent it?
§ SIR ROBERT PEEL, in reply, said, the Government had no direct information that recruiting had taken place in Ireland. They were aware that agents from the United States had been there, but of course there was no open recruiting. A great number of young men had certainly gone from Ireland to America, and on inquiry the Government had found that their passages had been paid; and there was every reason to suppose that those Irishmen, in America, had been induced by the Federal authorities to enlist in the 176 Federal army. The Government here were following the matter up, and were taking steps to discover the delinquents if they could. The recruiting, however, Was not done openly.