Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward
Sir: Upon a close scrutiny of the substance of Lord Russell’s note to me, a copy of which goes to you with my despatch No. 1042, I perceive a circumstance of a very singular nature. The proposition which he makes of a commission, to which all claims are to be referred, does not appear to me, at first sight, materially to differ from that made by the Portuguese government in July, 1820. The answer that was given by the United States declining that proposal, on the ground that “it was not consistent either with the Constitution of the United States or with any practice usual among civilized nations,” happens to [Page 546] make a part of the same note. Hence the British government is” placed in the awkward situation either of appearing to make a proposal which it knows beforehand to be inadmissible, or else of desiring to make the United States determined to accept the measure in flagrant opposition to its former principles, and thus display inconsistency in its views of radical questions.
I propose in my note to bring to his lordship’s notice this strange peculiarity without in any way attempting to foreclose the action of the President upon the proposal itselft should any material difference in the view taken of it, as contrasted with that in the former case, be perceived.
Thus much I have felt it my duty to state in advance as matter of precaution, although I have no doubt that the difficulty alluded to will have been instantly seen on an examination of the paper.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.