Charles Francis Adams to William Hunter, June 8, 1865

Mr. Adams to Mr. Hunter

Sir: I transmit herewith a copy of the London Gazette of the 6th, containing Lord Russell’s note to the lords commissioners of the admiralty of the 2d instant, announcing the withdrawal of the recognition of belligerency. This is in accordance with the report of it, which I gave in my No. 977 of 2d of June, detailing the substance of my conversation with his lordship on that day. This course appears to have been concurrently adopted by the French government.

Thus is at last removed the grave cause of remonstrance commenced on the day of my very first conference with his lordship, in May, 1861, and persevered in at brief intervals, through the intervening period of four years. Precipitate and extraordinary as was the original act, the same characteristic has not attended the withdrawal. Possibly, even at this late moment, absolute consistency might have demanded a little further delay on account of the declared blockade yet continued on the coast of Texas. But inasmuch as the dates give the strongest reasons for believing that the original step was determined upon even prior to the first declaration of blockade, which has since been assigned as the justifying cause, the inconsistency is not more marked at the end than it was at the outset.

Inasmuch as the discussion of the claims for reparation occasioned by the war has now been pretty much exhausted on both sides, it may be reasonably expected that the labors of this legation will henceforth be considerably lightened. Upon this result I congratulate the department, upon which, of course, the whole of the direction involving a greater share of work necessarily devolves. Hereafter it would seem as if, at least on this side, little beyond ordinary discretion will be required to continue the relations between the two countries on a tolerably satisfactory footing.

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