Arthur Gordon to John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, January 4, 1864
Lord Lyons to Earl Russell.
I have the honor to transmit to your lordship copies of further correspondence with Mr. Seward and with Major General Doyle and Mr. Gordon, relative to the affair of the Chesapeake.
I waited upon Mr. Seward at the State Department the day before yesterday, and told him that I had lost no time in conveying to your lordship his assurances that the promises made in his note of the 18th ultimo would be punctually fulfilled. I said that I relied implicitly on these assurances, and that therefore I would not importune him by addressing a written remonstrance to him against the proceedings of the United States officers in Nova Scotia,, nor run the risk of embarrassing him by making at present any specific demand on the subject. I would content myself for the moment with placing in his hands papers which would complete his information. He had, I observed, of course been furnished by the United States officers with copies of their correspondence with the Nova Scotian authorities. I would add copies of depositions which had been laid before the administrators of the government with regard to the proceedings of the United States naval officers, and copies of a correspondence with the Mayor of Halifax respecting the escape of Wade. These papers would, I said in conclusion, make him fully acquainted with all that had occurred, and enable him to act without delay upon the assurances given in his note.
Mr. Seward said that the course I proposed to take was very considerate and judicious; that he should be glad to receive the papers, and that he would promise me that they should be carefully examined, and that measures should be taken which would be entirely satisfactory to her Majesty’s government.
Upon this, I put into Mr. Seward’s hand copies of those enclosures in Major General Doyle’s despatch to the Duke of Newcastle of the 23d ultimo which were marked m, x, y, and aa.
I send to-day to Major General Doyle copies of this despatch and of my despatches of the 24th, 29th, and 31st ultimo.
[Enclosure 2 in No. 10, Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward, January 4, 1864, published elsewhere in this volume.]