I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Adams.* No. 791.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 26, 1863. SIR: Your despatch of December 4 (No. 548) has been received, together with the correspondence which has taken place between Earl Russell and yourself, concerning an alleged violation of the foreign enlistment law of Great Britain by the commander of the United States steamship Kearsarge at Queenstown, in concert with the United States consul at that place. Your reply to Earl Russell is approved. You will immediately investigate the charge against both these officers, and will communicate the result to this department. If you find the charge sustained against the consul, you will, without waiting further instruction, dismiss him from his office, and make a temporary appointment in his place. You will assure Earl Russell that if the charge shall be sustained against the commander of the Kearsarge, he will be promptly relieved of his command, and other satisfactory amends will be offered to her Majesty's government. It would seem proper that you should express to Earl Russell our desire to be furnished with such proofs as he may have, in addition to those contained in the affidavits of which you have been furnished by him with copies. You will inform Earl Russell that his complaint against the commander of the Kearsarge has been submitted to the Navy Department, and that the Secretary will at once call upon the commander for an answer thereto, without awaiting the report of your investigation of the subject. I am, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. F. W. SEWARD, Acting Secretary. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. [Extracts.] No. 564.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the reception of despatches, numbered 782 to 785, inclusive; likewise copies of the President's message at the opening of Congress, and two bound volumes of Commercial Relations in 1862. The message has, on the whole, met with a more favorable reception here than any preceding one under the present administration. It is construed as indicative of a restoration, both in the government and the people, to a state of consolidation which had not been looked for, and I may perhaps justly add, by no means desired. On the other hand, the address of Mr. Davis has done much to confirm the impression that the power of rebel resistance is gradually pass ing away. * * * *For Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Adams, 27th and 28th of December, see Appendix to correspondence with Mr. Adams. In a review of the unfavorable appearances tending to such a result, which appeared in the same newspaper [The Times] a day or two since, is to be found a singular sentiment, of sufficient importance, in my opinion, to merit your especial attention. It is conveyed in the following sentence: "In our two greatest risks and largest fields of danger our securities are of a very opposite character. We depend upon peace in Europe and upon war in America, for it is but too probable that a reconciliation between the southern and northern states, upon any terms, will be immediately followed by the most preposterous demands on this country." * * I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, * CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. No. 565.] Secretary of State. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, January 1, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to transmit copies of a note addressed by me to Lord Russell, on the 28th of December, in relation to certain movements contemplated by the rebels in this country, and of his reply. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. LEGATION OF the United STATES, MY LORD: From such information as is believed by me to be entitled to credit, although it is not at present in my power to submit the evidence directly to your lordship, I feel it my duty to apprise you of the fact that a number of persons, not less than thirty, have lately arrived from the United States, with the intention to embark in the steamer Pampero, now at Glasgow, on a hostile expedition against the United States. Of these persons, some eleven or twelve, including one Dr. Vallandigham, from the State of Delaware, are now in Liverpool, and the others are either in London or Glasgow. Captain Sinclair, who has been here for more than a year, is designated to take the command. He has left Glasgow from fear of inquiry, and is now living elsewhere under an assumed name. A person by the name of Colin McKensey, of Baltimore, but now residing in London, furnishes the payments to the men, and is mentioned as the paymaster for the vessel. I am further informed that these are a most daring and reckless set of men, who at one moment contemplated the project of seizing the Pampero and running her out of the port of Glasgow, either by force or fraud. This scheme is, however, for the present abandoned, especially as hopes have been inspired by Lieutenant Maury, who has lately visited those remaining at Liverpool, that the object will be accomplished in a simpler way. The desperate nature of the class of persons to which these men belong in the United States is so well known to me, that I shall not be surprised to find them at any moment attempting some scheme to scize a vessel that promises success, even though it be in defiance of the law as well as of the power of this kingdom. For these reasons I have taken the liberty to submit the private information I have obtained, even though it does not appear to be authenticated in the usual manner. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration, with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c., FOREIGN OFFICE, December 29, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date respecting a number of persons, said to be of desperate character, who are reported to have lately arrived in this country, and I have to inform you, in reply, that I have caused the information contained in your letter to be communicated to the proper department of Her Majesty's government, with a view to such measures being taken as the law allows to defeat any such attempts as are therein alluded to. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. No. 566.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, In obedience to the directions contained in your despatch (No. 782) of the 7th of December, I addressed a note to Lord Russell, on the 29th ultimo, in relation to the conduct of Ralph Cator. Copies of that note and of his lordship's acknowledgment are herewith transmitted. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. Seward, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES. MY LORD: I am directed by my government to represent to you that information entitled to credit has been received by it to the effect that an officer in her Majesty's naval service, either relieved or active, by the name of Ralph Cator, is engaged in violating the blockade of the insurgent ports of the United States, under the assumed name of Peterson. I am further instructed to express the belief that other British naval officers are thus engaged. In view of this information, corroborated by the late proceedings at Sheerness, I am reluctantly compelled to believe that there is a strong disposition on the part of a portion of her Majesty's navy to violate the neutrality of their sovereign in aiding and assisting the enemies of the United States in the resistance they are making to the lawful government. I am requested to solicit your lordship's attention to the expediency of making inquiry in regard to the alleged proceedings of the person above named, not doubting that should he prove to be guilty, her Majesty's government will visit the offence he has committed with its displeasure. I beg to renew the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, December 30, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th instant, relative to a British naval officer of the name of Ralph Cator, who is stated to be engaged, with others, in violating the blockade of the southern ports of North America, and I have to acquaint you, in reply, that I have caused your letter to be communicated to the proper department of her Majesty's government. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. No. 796.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Some irregularity of the mails, my short absence from the capital, and the suspension of business on the New Year festival, have worked a temporary obstruction in the business of this department. You will, if needful, give this explanation for any seeming inattention to questions which have been raised here on the part of the British government since the date of my last customary communications. I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 17th of December, (No. 557.) Your survey of the domestic politics of Great Britain is truly analytical while it appears to me to be equally accurate. * I have from the first been satisfied that all sympathies for the American insurgents which should be awakened in Great Britain would prove to be elements of ultimate domestic contention there, enduring and actively operating long after the normal state of things should be restored in the United States. We have not failed at any time to give evidence that we desired no such consequence of our civil war in Great Britain. It was not this government that appealed to European tribunals: it was dragged into that presence by the statesmen of Europe. The sooner it is dismissed the better for Europe as well as for America. In No important military advance has recently been made by our armies, and probably none is to be expected during the residue of the winter season. fact, they are being recruited and reorganized. Happily these processes seem entirely easy and successful. The popular expectation of a restoration of the federal authority increases, while, as you may have noticed, despondency and distrust begin to reveal themselves among the insurgents. Not sufficient time has elapsed since the President's proclamation of amnesty was promulgated to enable us to declare with confidence upon the question of its general acceptance. It is manifest, however, that either owing to the intrinsic merits of the system he has proposed, or the improved condition of public sentiment, this last proceeding is received with greater favor and regarded with more of hopefulness than his proclamation of the first of January last met with in an equal period after its publication. And yet we now see that the measures announced by that proclamation have proved practically a great and important success. Our case is perhaps truly stated as follows: faction has exhausted its real strength, while the power of the Union is not sensibly impaired. Weariness of the conflict is demoralizing the insurgents, while the friends of the Union having given up their impatience are continually strengthening its power. In this condition of things either the President's suggestions will be adopted, or they will probably open the way to a satisfactory resolution of the national embarrass SIR: Your despatch of the 17th of December (No. 559) has been received. I have laid before the President the proceedings of the citizens of West Hartlepool, on the subject of the civil war in the United States, and am authorized to express to you his great satisfaction with the just sentiments and cordial sympathies therein manifested. SIR: With the instruction to you (No. 789) of the 20th ultimo, extracts from the report of Mr. Mallory, pretending to act as Secretary of the Navy for the insurgents, were transmitted, showing the proceedings in England and France for the purpose of constructing war vessels for the naval service of the insurgents. Herewith you will receive copy of the Morning Chronicle of this city, of the second part, which contains that report in full. You may make such use of the document as you may deem advisable, towards undeceiving the British government as to the schemes and acts of the insurgents, with a view to creating and equipping a naval force within British jurisdiction, intended to wage war on the shipping of the United States. I am, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. |