Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Since the date of my last despatches from the department have been received, numbering from 321 to 327, both inclusive, and likewise printed circulars Nos. 18 and 19, of the 8th of August, relating to passports and emigrants.
Lord Russell came to town a few days ago, and sent me a note requesting to see me. I went, accordingly, on Saturday last. He said he wanted to “make some observations to me in connexion with the case of the steamer Adela, the capture of which had given rise to some questions at Washington. These related to three points, the appeal to any list of suspected vessels that might be in the hands of the officers as ground of capture, the propriety of making a prior examination, and the securing the contents of mail bags. On all of them he admitted that you had already agreed to a plan to remedy the difficulties for the future, which was perfectly satisfactory. He then remarked that in the accounts given of the capture, the commander was reported to have quoted me as justifying his course on the ground that Lord Palmerston had told me we might catch such vessels if we could. He then read from a note of his lordship’s in his hands a request to call my attention to this statement and a disclaimer of any such language, and a very calm and reasonable statement of what he recollected to have said on the only occasion when he had conversed with me on the subject. I immediately replied by disavowing ever having attributed to his lordship any such words. So far as I could remember the facts at this distance of time, the conversation referred to had grown out of the arrival of the James Adger, about the objects of which he desired to ask me. After mentioning the Nashville, I had alluded to the Gladiator, a steamer then about to sail from London with contraband of war for rebel ports, and said that in my interview with the captain of the Adger I had advised him on his way home to look out for the latter vessel and catch her if he could. To this course I presumed his lordship [Page 184] would have no objection. To this remark Lord Palmerston had replied substantially as explained in his note just read. It was now so long since the conference that this was all I could recall of it at the moment, but I had a copy of my despatch on the subject home, which would give the facts more certainly. The only thing which surprised me about the matter was how the commander of the vessel came to quote me at all, for I had no communication with him, nor indeed with any one else, on that subject, excepting through the regular official channel, as I had already mentioned it. Here the conversation dropped, and no other topic was started by his lordship. I seized the opportunity, however, briefly to give the substance of your despatch (No. 306) of the 24th of July, touching the restrictions imposed at New York upon the trade with Nassau, and to offer to furnish his lordship copies of the correspondence attached to it. His lordship observed that some of the articles referred to in the letter of the collector seemed to be contraband of war, thereby apparently distinguishing these from the general restriction. He said he should be glad to receive the copies. I have since transmitted them, together with others on the same subject, received the next day with your despatch (No. 326) of the 15th of August, in a note of the 1st of September, a copy of which is sent herewith.
Mr. Milner Gibson was present throughout the interview. This was owing to the fact the new commercial treaty with Belgium, in which both were empowered to take part, was just in the process of receiving the signatures.
His lordship, who seemed quite amiable, remarked to me that he presumed I was now quite at ease in regard to any idea of joint action of the European powers in our affairs. I laughed, and said that I was in hopes that they all had quite too much to occupy their minds in the present condition of southern Europe to think of troubling themselves with matters on the other side of the Atlantic. This was in allusion to the affair of Garibaldi, which is known to have much stirred the governments on both sides of the channel.
His lordship then notified me of his departure for Germany for a few weeks, in attendance upon the Queen, during which time Mr. Layard would be ready to attend to any business I might desire to present.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.