Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In the conference with Lord Russell on the 20th, to which I have already referred in my yesterday’s despatches, one other matter was touched upon which seemed to me deserving of brief notice. That is the present state of the Mexican question. His lordship opened the matter by mentioning the fact, now well known, of the disruption of the joint agreement of the three powers, and the withdrawal of the forces of England and Spain. He seemed to speak of it rather in the way of indirectly reminding me of the conversation at Abergeldie Castle in September last, and of the fidelity with which this government had adhered to the assurances then given of non-intervention. He then referred with evident gratification to the course taken by General Prim, and read me extracts from despatches received from Madrid announcing the intention of the Spanish government to ratify it. He confessed to an early-formed and long-cherished feeling of kindness, towards it, and seemed to take pride in this action of theirs as a justification of it.
I joined with his lordship in the expression of satisfaction at the result, and remarked that, so far as Great Britain was concerned, it had not caused in me any surprise. But I could scarcely give the same credit to Spain, for it seemed to me that, at the outset, her intentions contemplated intervention and military conquest. I might, indeed, be so uncharitable as to suspect that the development of military and naval power in the United States. which had been manifested of late might have had something to do in effecting a change.
His lordship, on the contrary, reaffirmed his confidence in the good faith of Spain. He did not believe it had ever had a desire to interfere, and, as if foreseeing my disposition to cite the precipitate despatch of troops in advance of the other parties, he met the objection at once by attributing it to a desire to supply for the army some opportunity of gaining distinction. The government had been for some time ambitious of reinstating the military reputation of the country, and to that end they were trying to furnish occasions for awarding praises and decorations to the officers and men for bravery and skill.
I made no allusion to sundry givings out of the Spanish presses a few months since of the propriety of attempting to recover the ancient dominions of the crown in South America, but joyfully accepted the result precisely as his lordship chose to present it. Neither did I venture to allude to the condition in which the matter has been left by the withdrawal of the two powers.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.