Charles Francis Adams to Right Hon. Earl Russell, September 30, 1862

[Enclosure]

Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, with deposition, September 30, 1862.

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

My Lord: I have the honor to submit to your consideration the copy of another deposition taken at Liverpool before the collector of the port, which, in connexion with the papers heretofore presented, goes to establish beyond reasonable doubt the fact that the insurgents in the United States and their coadjutors at that place have been engaged in fitting out vessels at that port to make war on the United States, in utter contempt of the law and of her Majesty’s injunctions in her proclamation. I expect to be in possession of some stronger evidence of the same nature in relation to past transactions, which I hope to be able, likewise, to submit in a few days.

The injuries to which the people of the United States are subjected by the unfortunate delays experienced in the case of my remonstrance against the fitting out of the gunboat 290, now called the confederate steamer Alabama, are just beginning to be reported. I last night received intelligence from Gibraltar that this vessel has destroyed ten whaling ships in the course of a short time at the Azores.

I have strong reason to believe that still other enterprises of the same kind are in progress in the ports of Great Britain at this time. Indeed, they have attained so much notoriety as to be openly announced in the newspapers of Liverpool and London. In view of the very strong legal opinion which I had the honor to present to your lordship’s consideration, it is impossible that all these things should not excite great attention in the United States. I very much fear they will impress the people and the government with a belief, however unfounded, that their just claims on the neutrality of Great Britain have not been sufficiently estimated. The extent to which her Majesty’s flag and some of her ports have been used to the end of carrying on hostile operations is so universally understood that I deem it unnecessary further to dwell upon it. But in the spirit of friendliness with which I have ever been animated towards her Majesty’s government, I feel it my duty to omit no opportunity of urging the manifestation of its well known energy in upholding those laws of neutrality upon which alone the reciprocal confidence of nations can find a permanent basis.

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,