Charles Francis Adams to Right Hon. Earl Russell, January 25, 1864

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

My Lord: I have the honor to present to your consideration copies of certain papers taken in steamers engaged in violating the blockade, the originals of which are on file in the district court of the United States for Massachusetts.

It would appear that this evidence furnishes another strong instance of the manner in which the insurgents habitually abuse the belligerent privileges which have been conceded to them by Great Britain. With the manifest design to protect British subjects who navigate the ships and cargoes purchased by them in this kingdom, and intended to violate the blockade, they give particular directions, forbidding any sign to be made on board or in foreign ports of their ownership. The facilities and privileges these vessels now enjoy by the use of the British flag are, it would seem, not to be curtailed; however, the reputation of her Majesty’s government, as earnestly desiring to maintain neutrality, may be implicated by the fraud.

It must be obvious to your lordship that, after such an exposition, all British subjects engaged in these violations of blockade must incur a suspicion strong enough to make them liable to be treated as enemies, and if taken, to be reckoned as prisoners of war. If the flag of the kingdom be fraudulently used to cover the enterprises of the enemy, it will become very difficult to distinguish between those persons actually engaged in their vessels, and those bona fide employed by British owners. A new form of severity may thus be given to the struggle which would be regretted by none more than by my government. Much as the difficulty of their task has been aggravated by the wanton and persistent interposition of British subjects, it has never been their disposition to treat them, when in their power, with unnecessary harshness.

I am pained, in this connexion, to call your lordship’s attention to the fact that Lieutenant Rooke, of her Majesty’s army, after being taken in a steamer running the blockade, and released, has been detected in attempting to carry a contraband mail to Bermuda, to be delivered to insurgent agents at that place.

After the conversation which I had the honor to hold with your lordship on Friday last, I deem it almost superfluous to enlarge further on the difficulties which must grow out of a toleration of the outrageous abuses of the belligerent privileges that have been granted to the insurgents, as they have been laid before you for your notice. It would be difficult to find an example in history of a more systematic and persistent effort to violate the neutral position of a country than this one has been from its commencement that has not actually brought on a war. That this has been the object of the parties engaged in it, I have never for a moment doubted. Wearied, exhausted, and discouraged, as they notoriously are at this time, they still relax no effort that may bring to them some hope of relief from this source, the only one left to them. I entertain the strongest hopes that the wisdom and prudence of both governments will persevere in searching for the best means of making this expectation as vain as have proved all the others thus far cherished by them.

It has been no part of my instructions to address any argument on the subject to your lordship, based purely upon the possible consequences of permitting any similar toleration of such notorious enterprises in a neutral country to be brought into a precedent in future cases between belligerents. The fact that it must place an instrument of enormous power in the hands of weak nations on the ocean to annoy the stronger ones is too apparent to need exposition. I know not that, viewed as a pure question of interest to the United States, whenever it may again become a neutral power, there would be much reason to object to it. The great and serious difficulty is, to all nations, that it furnishes incentives to a constant extension of the ravages of war on the ocean, equally to he deplored by all—an effort which it has been, of late years, the earnest desire of all to endeavor to restrict rather than to expand.

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