Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams.
Sir: Your despatch of July 1 (No. 441) has been received, together with the report of the debate which occurred on the 30th of June in the House of Commons on the motion of Mr. Roebuck for proceedings hostile to the United States.
I perceive that the discussion was adjourned to the 9th instant. I shall therefore defer consideration of it until we shall have learned here the answer which the government of Great Britain has given to Mr. Roebuck’s proposition.
Meantime, however, I must not omit to say that I lost no time in putting [Page 365] forth a correction of the statement that her Majesty’s government had abused the Emperor’s confidence by putting into my hands a printed communication of Mr. Drouyn de l’Huys. A copy of that publication accompanies this despatch.
If it seems possible to draw consolation for errors of our own citizens from parallel mistakes committed by subjects of other powers, I might remark with some satisfaction that the irregular diplomacy of some Americans sojourning in Europe compares not unfavorably with the achievements of Mr. Roebuck, as a voluntary negotiator between her Majesty’s government and that of France.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.