Charles Francis Adams to William H. Seward Secretary of Slate, Washington, D. C, January 5, 1865

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward

Sir: Despatches from the department, numbered from 1190 to 1194, in elusive, have been received at this legation. The most important of these are Nos. 1190 and 1194, which relate to the state of things between the countries growing out of the outrages committed along the borders of Canada, and the action of the judge in releasing the perpetrators. I am directed to communicate to Lord Russell the remarks contained in No. 1194, but I am, at the same time, authorized to exercise my own judgment as to the form and extent to which this is to be done.

Upon the most careful reflection which I have been able to give to the whole subject as it is now presented to me on this side of the water, I have concluded to exercise the discretion vested in me so far as to desist from acting, at least for a little while. My reasons are these:

The action of Judge Coursai upon the question submitted to him has led not only to a very general expression of disapprobation here, but it has also prompted a most unequivocal condemnation of the outrage itself. There appears to be little difference of opinion in the public press on this subject. I am convinced that if any repetition of it should be attempted it will go far to stop all further open sympathy with the rebel cause. Any penalty which may be inflicted upon the perpetrators will be approved and justified. I have directed a copy of” The Times” to be sent to you, containing a leader on the subject, which bears evident marks of authority. A similar leader, even more decided in tone, appeared simultaneously in the evening paper, “The Globe.” I may say that public sentiment has been more nearly right on this question, than upon any since I have held this post.

Moreover, I consider the assurances of Lord Russell, as given to me in the conversation, a report of which I sent to you in my despatch of last week, No. 846, as in substance containing a favorable answer to much if not all that has been desired by the government. Since I sent that despatch his lordship has submitted to me his report of that same conversation as he sent it to Mr. Hume Burnley, and I find I have a little understated the strength of his language, an error which I would rather commit than its opposite. I send copies of the notes that passed, in order to show that I purposely marked to him my sense of the difference. The President’s immediate revocation of that part of General Dix’s order to which his lordship took exception, seems to leave the matter in the best possible condition, at least so far as the disposition of the British government is concerned. Under these circumstances if I were to go on making more representations just now, it appears to me that the effect would be only to betray an offensive doubt of the sincerity of its professions.

I shall, however, in the course of the next few weeks, seize opportunities to communicate the substance of the information contained in your despatch No. 1194, as they may occur. I shall, moreover, make more occasions to meet with Lord Russell, particularly since I have received, in a private way, intimations that in the absence of Lord Lyons it would be convenient.

I find by a notice in this morning’s papers that Captain Corbet, the person who took charge of the Sea King on her voyage out, has been at last traced out and arrested by order of the government for a violation of the enlistment law. This incident, of which his lordship’s reply to my note of the 18th of November last on the subject held out no promise, is another favorable symptom of the animus of the government.

I am well aware of the extent of the irritation of the people along the line of the boundary, very justly excited by these atrocious enterprises. I find no disposition in the public press here to find fault with that. If it should prove to have had the effect of stimulating the government here to quicken its preventive action, it will not be a matter to be regretted. But I cannot withhold the expression of a hope that it may not so far precipitate the movements of the representative bodies as to hazard the very event happening, which these operations were intended to bring about—the complication of differences with foreign powers with the efforts to suppress the rebellion.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,