Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward
Sir: According to your desire, expressed in dispatch No. 2156, of the 13th of April, I called upon Lord Stanley on Wednesday last, read it to him and gave him a copy of it.
His lordship expressed great doubt whether anything was likely to come of the matter. There were differences of opinion among the powers not soon to be reconciled. Neither was he disposed to think the evils of the present system so serious as they had been represented. He intimated that France would wish to have her own way, which was not likely to be assented to by others. He would, however, give attentive consideration to the views of the dispatch.
Apart from this particular question, it seemed to me as if his lordship talked with less animation and interest than I ever knew him to do before. Whether this may be owing to the prospect of leaving his office before long I cannot say. Neither is it necessary to decide, as the vote of Thursday night in the House of Commons seems to render it certain that a change of some kind will be announced on Monday next. You will probably have heard what it is by the telegraph long before this reaches you by steamer, so that all speculation in which I might indulge would be clearly out of place.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.