Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward
Sir: I have to acknowledge the reception from the department of despatches numbered from 1564 to 1568, inclusive.
On Saturday last, the 3d instant, I received a note from Lord Russell, announcing to me the fact of his acceptance of the post of first commissioner of the treasury tendered to him by the Queen, and of the consequence, his vacating of the foreign office. He announced Lord Clarendon to be his successor, without any change of the policy heretofore adopted.
Simultaneously came the customary note from the new secretary announcing his appointment, and furthermore that he should be glad to receive me at the foreign office at three o’clock on the Monday following.
My replies in each case followed the usual form heretofore practiced on such an occasion. On Monday, at the appointed time, I repaired to the office, where I found most of the members of the corps diplomatique assembled under similar invitations. We were subsequently introduced successively in the order of our standing, and after a few words of conversation with the new minister, took our leave. Thus the forms of change are now completed, so far as the foreign office is concerned. There is, however, a vacancy thus made by the transfer of Lord Clarendon from the place of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, which as yet remains unfilled. It is stated that no further steps are contemplated at present. The reason assigned is that the appointment of members of a House of Commons which has not yet been summoned or organized, though desirable, would be attended with a practical difficulty, in the fact that they must first vacate their seats, and there is no speaker in being through whom to issue writs for new elections. Hence, at the assembling of the houses, they would be in the anomalous situation of ministers without seats in Parliament, which is not consistent with the customs of the British constitution.
It is therefore not impossible that the ministry may go on for more than two months longer substantially in its present condition. Changes will then be attempted with a view to place a larger proportion of the cabinet in the lower house. But as yet there is no marked indication in the character of persons likely to be selected. The impression is pretty general that, whatever may be the construction, it will not last long. Judging from the policy marked out by the Times, which has no good-will to Lord Russell, the object aimed at will be the creation of a composite fabric, with the design to adjourn, if possible, every successful attempt at a reform bill.
So far as the interest of the United States is concerned, since Lord Russell has so precipitately occluded himself from any avenue to a settlement of the questions in controversy, I am not sure that some change which would free the moderate and conciliatory members from their present shackles and place them in opposition to the ministry might not in the end prove to the advantage of both countries.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.