Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams.
Sir: The almost total cessation of the African slave trade, since the promulgation of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain, of the 7th of April, 1862, inspires a hope that perhaps the mere existence of that instrument may be enough to deter those wrongdoers who had previously engaged in that trade from undertaking new enterprises. Subjects of Spain or Portugal, tempted by the gains which resulted from furnishing native Africans to the planters of Cuba or Porto Rico, were almost the only parties implicated in the traffic. And as the authorities of those islands seem of late to have been honest in their endeavors to comply with the treaty stipulations of Great Britain with Spain, by which it was agreed to put an end to it, it appears to be now worthy of consideration by this government, and that of her Britannic Majesty, whether they may not prudently and in good faith adopt measures for lessening the expense consequent upon keeping the large naval force on the coast of Africa and the West Indies, whose business it is to suppress the traffic. Mr. G. V. Fox, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, is about to visit England, and as he is familiar with the whole subject, it is suggested that you present him to Lord Clarendon, a order that there may be an informal conference in regard to it.
I remain, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.