veness, by the distinguished Senator who represents you so well
in the Congress of the United States.

For all that related to myself, and for every gracious word of
recognition and commendation that fell from his lips in relation to the
part that I have taken in the act of restoration, I am profoundly
grateful. It is an additional reward, but not the reward which induced
my action.

To have served your State, to have been instrumental in such an act as
this, was of itself a high privilege to me. The Bradford manuscript was
in the library of Fulham palace, and if, by lawful means, I could have
become possessed of the volume, and have brought it here and quietly
deposited it, I should have gone to my home with the great satisfaction
of knowing that I had performed an act of justice, an act of right
between two countries. Therefore the praise, however grateful, is
additional, and I am very thankful for it.

It may not be inappropriate or unpleasing to you should I state in a
very simple manner the history of my relation to the return of this
book, for it all has occurred within the last twelve months.

I knew of the existence of this manuscript, and had seen the
reproduction in facsimile. I knew that attempts had been made,
unsuccessfully, to obtain the original book.

At that time Senator Hoar made a short visit to England, and in passing
through London I was informed by him of the great interest that he, in
common with the people of this State, had in the restoration of this
manuscript to the custody of the State.

We discussed the methods by which it might be accomplished, and after
two or three concurrent suggestions he returned to the United States,
and presently I received, under cover from the Secretary of State,--a
distinguished citizen of your own State, Mr. Olney,--a formal note,
suggesting rather than instructing that in an informal manner I should
endeavor to have carried out the wishes of the various societies that
had addressed themselves to the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of
Canterbury, in order to obtain the return of this manuscript.

It necessarily had to be done informally. The strict regulations of the
office I then occupied forbade my correspondence with any member of the
British government except through the foreign office, unless it were
informal. An old saying describes the entire case, that "When there's a
will there's a way." There certainly was the will to get the book, and
there