Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
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.
[Page 163]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 I 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, [Page 164] 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.
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, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.