Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 518.]
Legation of the United States,
London,
October 16, 1863.
Sir: Upon the reception of your No. 725, of the
28th of September, I addressed a note to Lord Russell in the sense of
that despatch. A copy is herewith transmitted.
The government has within the past week adopted measures of a much more
positive character than heretofore to stop the steam-rams. Of the
reasons for this I have not been officially apprised. My conjecture is,
that they had cause to suspect attempts would be made to get at least
one of them out by stealth. Having myself received secret information of
this nature in connexion with the transmission of a considerable portion
of the crew of the Oreto, or Florida, from Brest to Liverpool, I took
the opportunity to warn Lord Russell of the probability of such attempts
on the 24th of last month in a note, a copy of which as well as the
enclosure is herewith transmitted. His lordship replied on the 30th; a
copy of his note is likewise appended.
The energetic action of the government, after effecting the legal seizure
of the rams, in first placing their own vessels in a position to command
the outlet for both, and latterly in making fast to that which is ready
to start, has produced an excellent effect in inspiring confidence in
the prosecution of their declared policy. Nothing short of this would
have sufficed to convince the reckless set of conspirators at Liverpool
that they were in earnest.
The next step which I anticipate will be an offer to sell the vessels to
the Danes. If they ask a reasonable price I have reason to believe that
such a transfer might be expected. But I understand there are schemes
afloat of an enterprise to seize them in transitu, if not strongly
convoyed, the parties making an offer of a suitable indemnity in case of
success. You may readily conceive of the desperation to which they are
driven when they cherish the notion of such projects in the face of
civilized Europe. The violent and lawless nature formed and developed in
the hot-bed of slave institutions is making itself more and more
distinctly perceptible on this side of the Atlantic. That it should have
been permitted to have play on the ocean until now can only be accounted
for by the strong predisposition to be blind as long as possible to
every proof of it.
I trust that from this time we may expect a better state of things on
this subject. At the same time that I write this I am not unaware that
other vessels are preparing at Glasgow, quite as formidable as those at
Liverpool, against which we have not yet even so much evidence as we
presented in their case. I am, however, preparing to make a
representation against them.
The case of the Alexandra will probably come up on appeal to the
exchequer [Page V] chamber in the course of
a few weeks. I should be glad to know the wishes of the government in
regard to any action to be had on this side, should they not conclude to
employ the supervision of Mr. Evarts once more.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
Legation of the United
States,
London,
October 12, 1863.
My Lord: I take great pleasure in
performing the duty imposed on me by my government of expressing its
satisfaction with the intelligence which I had the honor of
communicating to it by the transmission of your lordship’s note to
me of the 8th of September. The President, not insensible of the
difficulties in the way of the decision to which her Majesty’s
government in that note signified it had arrived, is gratified in
being able to regard it in the light of a sincere desire, on just
principles, to maintain its friendly relations with the United
States. I am, therefore, instructed to inform your lordship that the
government will hereafter hold itself obliged, with even more care
than heretofore, to endeavor to conduct its intercourse with Great
Britain, as that the war in which it is now unhappily involved may,
whenever it may terminate, leave to neither nation any permanent
cause of discontent.
I pray your lordship to accept, &c., &c.,
Right Hon. Earl Russell,
&c., &c., &c.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
Legation of the United
States,
London,
September 24, 1863.
My Lord: I am credibly informed that
seventy or more of the men belonging to the insurgent vessel the
Florida, formerly the Oreto, nearly all of them British subjects,
have been sent over from Brest, and are now in Liverpool. They were
provided with a letter to the person acting on behalf of the
insurgents at Liverpool, a copy of which is herewith transmitted. I
need not point to your lordship the fact that the last sentence
implies habitual action, in direct violation of the law of the
realm; such, indeed, as, if committed by any agent of the United
States, would be likely to attract the immediate notice of her
Majesty’s government. It corroborates all the evidence heretofore
presented by me on the same subject. I have further reason to
believe that under this sentence is intended a transfer of many of
these men to one of the ironclad war vessels now in preparation at
Liverpool, with the intent to carry on war against the United
States. It is known to me that the intention to despatch that vessel
is not yet abandoned by the parties concerned in the enterprise.
I pray your lordship to accept, &c, &c,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c.
[Page VI]
[Enclosed copy.]
Confederate States Steamer
Florida,
Brest,
September 3,
1863.
Sir: Herewith I send you a list of men
discharged from the Florida, with their accounts and discharges.
Many of them have asked for transfers, and others for reference
to you, or to a confederate agent. I would request you to
provide them situations in the service.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
J. N. MAFFITT, Commander, Confederate
States Navy.
Captain J. D. Bullock,
Confederate States Navy,
Liverpool.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Foreign Office,
September 30, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 24th instant, calling my attention to
the arrival at Liverpool of a large party of men belonging to the
confederate steamer Florida; and I have to acquaint you that I lost
no time in communicating to the secretary of state for the home
department copies of your letter and of its enclosure.
I have to add, however, that the attention of her Majesty’s
government had been, some days previously to the receipt of your
letter, attracted, by paragraphs in the public papers, to the
arrival of these men, and that inquiries were at once set on foot,
and that the course which can be taken in regard to them is under
the serious consideration of her Majesty’s government.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your
most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c, &c., &c.
