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tion for either side, but from a longing to see the political power of the United States permanently impaired. The direction which this sentiment. takes is naturally most in opposition to the government which aims to reinstate its authority. That it will embody itself in any form likely to dictate action, I do not venture to predict. Much will depend upon chance or the occurrence of some favorable opportunity. At present it remains inert, and rather looking out in the hope of movement from abroad than desirous to originate anything at home.

The constant cry is that the Emperor of France will interfere. The wish is so much the father to the thought that it is difficult to make people believe this ministry is not interposing much too stubbornly against the execution of his desire. If I am to credit the rumors that I hear from sources claiming to be of high authority, the Emperor has sent for Mr. Slidell and announced that he is ready to recognize the rebel States without the concurrence of England. But for the sake of courtesy he desires him to direct Mr. Mason to make a new application to the ministers, so as finally to test the determination here. These are stories which I trace pretty directly to the confederate emissaries themselves, who sedulously agitate this alternation of rumors between the two countries to serve their ends. Of the degree of credit to which they are entitled, you are in a position better qualified to judge than I. My object is simply to warn you of the prevailing temper which certainly desires interposition of some kind, and which, therefore, cannot be regarded as entirely prognosticating calmness and peace. Hence it must be remembered that however favorable the ministry here may now be to the maintenance of their declared policy, they are not in a condition to stand long in resistance to any popular outcry prompted by the concentrated passions of an agitated community. The experience of the case of the Trent is of too recent occurrence to make it necessary to seek further for an illustration of what I mean.

In this view it is impossible to over estimate the degree of influence that attaches to the operations of the war of America. The tendency being always to undervalue the progress of one party and to magnify the success of the other, it is of some importance to me to be possessed, as nearly as possible, of the precise position of things. I am, therefore, much indebted to you for the accounts regularly furnished to me, giving the latest informa tion on the subject. An impression is sedulously given that General McClellan's force is practically annulled, and that the whole work of restoration is to begin anew. This is very much aided by the complete darkness that surrounds the situation of the rebels. The exaggeration so prevalent in all our own papers, both of their numbers and condition, is skilfully used against us to prove that whilst we are suffering they are in a state of comparative ease and comfort. How diametrically opposite to the actual facts is this assumption it is needless to point out. The imagination can, if rightly moved, cover up the most unsightly skeleton in the robes of an angel of light. I shall always be glad to be possessed of the means to dissipate these illusions. But in order so to do most effectually, it is indispensable that the information given me should not only be full, but explicit, as well in regard to the less as the more favorable aspects of the situation. The best item in your last seems to me to be that the President has determined once more to give military unity to the conduct of the war. The fatal experience of Napoleon, in giving separate commands to his officers in the war of the Penin sula, appears to be a standing lesson against the repetition of such mistakes. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

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Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

No. 198.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 31, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit copies of two more notes, which have been exchanged here since my last despatch, (No. 188,) touching the case of the United States steamer Saginaw and her warning to leave the port of Hong Kong.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.

FOREIGN OFFICE, July 25, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, in which you call attention to the circumstances under which the United States steamer Saginaw had been required to quit the harbor of Hong Kong, in compliance with the terms of her Majesty's proclamation of the 31st of January last. You draw at the same time a comparison between the course thus adopted towards the Saginaw and that which had been followed with regard to the Sumter, at Gibraltar.

I have, in reply, to observe that the difference between the circumstances of the two cases lies in the fact that the Sumter was in the waters of Gibraktar before the proclamation had been issued by her Majesty's government, whereas it appears that the Saginaw went to Hong Kong subsequent to its issue.

In framing the regulations contained in the proclamation her Majesty's government have acted on the principle of impartiality, but the effect has been greatly to the advantage of the United States cruisers and to the disadvantage of those of the confederate States.

I have the honor to be, with the highest considerations, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c.

RUSSELL.

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, July 28, 1862.

MY LORD: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your note of the 25th instant, in answer to mine of the 14th, touching the case of the United States steamer Saginaw. In reply to my suggestion of a seeming difference of treatment experienced at Gibraltar in the case of the Sumter and at Hong Kong in the case of that vessel, your lordship remarks that it is to be attributed to the fact that the Sumter was in the waters of Gibraltar before the proclamation had been issued, whereas the Saginaw went to Hong Kong subsequently to its issue.

If by this it be understood that the date of issue of the proclamation in London is the rule applied to vessels happening to be at the most remote dependencies of Great Britain, I must admit that these two cases are not precisely parallel. My impression had been' that that paper was not designed to have a retroactive operation, but that it went into effect, as is often the case in treaties, from the date of reception and notice by the local government of the distant colony to which it was to apply. In that view it would seem that the Saginaw had arrived at Hong Kong more than a fortnight prior to the issue of the governor's proclamation.

In making the representation respecting the case of the Saginaw it was not, however, my desire to raise this question as one of primary importance. I rather wished to point out the exceptional nature of the China seas, in which all commercial nations seem to have a common interest in rendering to each other, so far as possible, a mutual support.

I pray your lordship to accept the assurance of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

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SIR: You must long before this have received all the information respecting the Laird gunboat, No. 290, for which you ask in your despatch No. 299, of the 12th of July. It only remains for me to continue the narrative of that transaction down to this date. In spite of all my efforts and remonstrances, which as yet wait the opinion of the law officers of the crown, I received on the 29th instant from Mr. Dudley, the consul at Liverpool, the news that she sailed without register or clearance from that port on that day. I immediately communicated the intelligence by telegraph to Captain Craven, at Southampton. I learn from the consul at that place that the Tuscarora sailed from thence at 8 p. m. on the 29th instant. Should the captain be so fortunate as to encounter the vessel on the high seas, I have every reason to believe that he will attempt her capture. But I have given him no instructions how far to pursue her, or what to do in case of failure. In these respects he is left entirely to his own discretion.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

[Extract.]

No. 201.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, August 1, 1862.

SIR: Yesterday I had a conference with Lord Russell at the foreign office, in the course of which I went over the various subjects whereupon I had received instructions in your late despatches. I propose to review them in the order in which they came up.

1. And first, I communicated to his lordship the substance of your despatch (No. 271) of the 7th of June, so far as it related to him and to your view of the action of the Spanish government towards Mexico. The reason why this has not been done before was, that it did not seem to make an object of itself sufficient to ask for it a special conference, and until now. had no others to join with it.

2. I read to his lordship the substance of your despatches Nos. 281 and 299 respecting the use made of the island of Nassau by the rebels, and the fitting out of the gunboats Oreto and 290. His lordship first took up the case of 290, and remarked that a delay in determining upon it had most unexpectedly been caused by the sudden development of a malady of the Queen's advocate, Sir John D. Harding, totally incapacitating him for the transaction of business. This had made it necessary to call in other parties, whose opinion had been at last given for the detention of the gunboat, but before the order got down to Liverpool the vessel was gone. He should, however, send directions to have her stopped if she went, as was probable, to Nassau. I said I was aware that the gunboat was off, but I did not say, what I myself have little doubt of, that her sudden departure was occasioned by a notion, obtained somehow or other, that such a proceeding was impending. I added an expression of satisfaction that the law officers of the crown had seen their way to give such an opinion, and that it was the disposition of her Majesty's government to do something to check this outrageous abuse. In this connexion I begged to ask if he had any information respecting the proceedings had at Nassau in the case of the Oreto. I had seen a statement in the newspapers, additional to the information contained in the despatch No. 281 which I had read to him, to the effect that the Oreto had been actually stopped and put under the guns of her Majesty's ship the Greyhound. I hoped this was true, for I thought the effect of such a proceeding would be very favorably viewed in America. His lordship replied that he had received no information on the subject beyond what I had referred to, which came from the American newspapers. With regard to the complaint against the island of Nassau, he could only say that he had received, a short time since, a letter, signed by many commercial people in Liverpool and elsewhere, remonstrating against the virtual blockade of that island by United States war vessels, and the subjection of many innocent British ships to the inconveniences of detention and search as if engaged in illegitimate trade. To this representation he had written a reply, stating that however much the inconveniences mentioned were to be regretted, it was not the disposition of the government to afford protection to any parties that might be engaged in undertakings in violation of her Majesty's proclamation; and when there was reason to suppose that such adventures might be carried on, it was difficult to raise objections to the right of examination. His lordship added that he had expected both the letter and his answer would have been published before this by parties concerned, but they had not thought fit to do so. I replied that they knew too much to be caught doing that, but I should take pleasure in communicating this fact to my government. Any and all evidence which I could obtain of a disposition, on the part of her Majesty's ministers, to discountenance the notorious and flagrant abuses of neutrality, now every day committed by British subjects, would be of great use to counteract the strong popular feeling in America growing up on account of them. We had every reason to believe that these war vessels were intended to prey directly upon our commerce, and most particularly to intercept the steamers bearing treasure to New York from California. Should one of those steamers be taken in consequence of the omission to stop these outfits in British ports, the excitement that it would create in America would be very great. Disposed, as I had always been,

to cultivate friendly relations between the two countries, I could not but look with much uneasiness upon all events which might tend to affect them unfavorably. His lordship said that he could not at once say whether it was proper to furnish copies of the correspondence alluded to or not, but I was welcome to mention the facts, and very probably he might send me the copies.

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3. Next, I opened the matters of the proposed consulate at Salmon Bay, as presented in your despatch (No. 292) of the 9th of July. I read to his lordship the substance of that paper, and submitted the whole subject to his consideration without further remark. He took a note of the tenor of it, and promised that it should receive early consideration.

4. Lastly, I read to his lordship the despatch No. 296, relating to the claim of Mr. Herran for the fulfilment of the guarantee to New Granada to protect the transit on the Isthmus of Panama. I observed that it must be obvious that the government of the United States could not desire just at this time to enlarge the field of operation for its forces; hence that its performance of this obligation would necessarily depend only upon a full conviction of its imperative character. On that point it would be glad to consult with other powers most interested in the transit, which it was the object to preserve. His lordship seemed already well informed of the facts in the case. He said that he did not yet perceive the contingency to have occurred which called for interposition. It was true that General Mosquera was in occupation of the territory in resistance to the Granadian government. Such things were happening all the time in South America. But there had been no attempt, so far as he knew, to obstruct the free transit across the isthmus, nor did he understand that any disposition had been shown to do so. Until there should be some manifestation of the sort, any demonstration might have the appearance of interposing to effect a different purpose. His lordship added that, on the happening of an actual derangement of the communication, the British goverment would readily co-operate with the United States in the measures that might be thought necessary to make good the privileges secured by the guarantee.

I believed this closed all the topics to which it had been made my duty especially to call his lordship's attention. I then took my leave of him, probably for the season, as he spoke of his departure from town next week, and mentioned that the under secretary would, in his absence, attend to the transaction of any business that I might have occasion to propose.

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I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

*

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

No. 202.]

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, August 1, 1862.

SIR: I forgot, in my report of my conference with Lord Russell yester day, to allude to an incidental matter to which he requested me to call your attention. He said that a bill for the further execution of the late treaty in suppression of the slave trade had been passed by Parliament, and the government was about to fill the places contemplated in the commission at New York. He wished to know if I had any information as to correspond

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