[Extracts.]
Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 504.]
Legation of the United States,
London,
October 1, 1863.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the reception of
despatches from the department, numbered from 702 to 709, inclusive.
The event of the week has been the speech of Earl Russell at Blairgowrie,
evidently drawn forth by the report of Mr. Sumner’s address at New York.
A newspaper report of it was transmitted to you, by Mr. Wilson, in the
middle of the week; it shows a marked advance in his lordship’s
opinions, as well as in his confidence in expressing them.
I am very sure that I have kept generally much within the limit of my
instructions. * * * * * * * *
At the same time I may, in some particulars, have insensibly assumed the
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offensive rather beyond
the line of prudence. As a safeguard, you will perceive that, in my
answer, I have left an opening for any modification of tone which it may
suit you to adopt.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Lord Russell to Mr. Adams.
Foreign Office,
September 25, 1863.
Sir: I have had the honor to receive your
letters of the 16th and 17th of September.
As the whole question is under the consideration of her Majesty’s
government, and the orders given not to permit the iron-clads to
leave Liverpool until further inquiry has been made, seem to be
sufficient for the purpose of the present moment, I will delay any
answer to their letters till the facts have been more fully
ascertained.
It is right to inform you that upon receiving assurance, which the
Treasury consider satisfactory, that the vessel shall be returned to
Birkenhead, the Messrs. Laird have been permitted to make a trial
trip with the vessel which is the most advanced.
I can assure you that I am not less anxious than yourself that the
duties of neutrality should be performed strictly and impartially by
the government of Great Britain.
There are, however, passages in your letter of the 16th, as well as
in some of your former ones, which so plainly and repeatedly imply
an intimation of hostile proceeding towards Great Britain on the
part of the government of the United States, unless steps are taken
by her Majesty’s government which the law does not authorize, or
unless the law, which you consider as insufficient, is altered, that
I deem it incumbent upon me, in behalf of her Majesty’s government,
frankly to state to you that her Majesty’s government will not be
induced by any such consideration either to overstep the limits of
the law, or to propose to Parliament any new law which they may not,
for reasons of their own, think proper to be adopted. They will not
shrink from any consequences of such a decision,
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your
most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
Legation of the United
States, London,
September 29, 1863.
My Lord: I have the honor to acknowledge
the reception of your note of the 25th instant. I shall take
pleasure in transmitting a copy to my government.
I must pray your lordship’s pardon, if I confess myself at a loss to
perceive what portions of my late correspondence could justify the
implications to which you refer. So far from intimating “hostile
proceedings towards Great Britain, unless the law, which I consider
as insufficient, is altered,” the burden of my argument was to urge
a reliance upon the law as sufficient, as well from the past
experience of the United States, as from the confidence expressed in
it by the most eminent authority in the kingdom. Neither do I find
any ground for the other implication. It is very true that I have
deeply regretted the supposition
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that her Majesty’s government should admit
itself powerless to execute any of those obligations which are
recognized by the consent of civilized nations as well as the faith
of treaties to be binding equally upon all, and I have taken the
liberty to point out the consequences which follow that inability,
in the absolute necessity imposed upon an aggrieved party to defend
itself from the worst of injuries. This is the principle which I
have been directed to maintain, not from any idea of presenting any
form of condition whatever to her Majesty’s government, but from a
confident expectation that an address to its sense of right may
avail to gain for the United States exactly the same measure of
justice which it would expect from that country in return, were the
respective situations reversed. If, in any respect, I have appeared
to trangress the line of argument here laid down, I pray your
lordship to consider the fault as one not of intention on my part,
and not at all belonging to my government. In transmitting your
lordship’s note without further comment, I shall hope to be able to
submit the question in what degree its sentiments may have been in
any particular misinterpreted by me.
I trust that it is unnecessary for me to make any assurances to your
lordship of the earnestness with which I have ever striven to
maintain to the utmost of my power the relations of amity and good
will between the two countries.
I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest
consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most
obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c., &c.
