Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of despatches from the department numbered from 1129 to 1136, inclusive.
I shall proceed at once to prepare the necessary papers in connexion with your No. 1136. Lord Russell is this week absent, partly to attend the marriage of his son Lord, Ambersley, and partly to enter upon his new honorary function of lord rector of the University of Aberdeen. I am myself about to pay a visit of a few days to the Duke of Devonshire, at Chats worth, so that my representation will not in all probability be sent in until next week. Apart from this, some time will be necessary to copy the accompanying papers.
There is little to note in the events of the past week. The Queen has returned from Scotland and is now at Windsor, near enough to the government to transact business conveniently. The ministers are coming back to town, and cabinet meetings are about to recommence on the 14th instant.
Some attempts have been made here by the rebel agents and their allies to raise an excitement about the capture of the Oreto, alias the Florida, at Bahia. The accounts of that transaction all come from those officers of the vessel who have arrived at Southampton, and are, of course, untrustworthy. As this government is not at present in diplomatic communication with that of the Brazils, and the prospect of reconciliation through the mediation of Portugal is as yet pretty remote, I do not presume that it will attempt to meddle in any way with the matter. The position of the French Emperor would seem to be in some degree compromised by his singular decision in the case of the General Armstrong. Nevertheless, whatever questions may spring out of this transaction ought to be, and, I doubt not, will be, decided upon by the President, purely on their intrinsic merits and without regard to immediate circumstances.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.