Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams, February 19, 1862

Mr. Seward to Mr.
Adams.

Sir: Your despatch of January 31, (No. 109,)
has been received. I was just about instructing you how to answer the
querulous complaints in Parliament which you have anticipated, the chief
of which is the assumed incompetency of this government to suppress the
insurrection. But a very shrewd observer, a loyal, and, at present,
exiled Virginian, fell in at the moment, and expressed to me the opinion
that the end of the war is in sight; that there will be a short and
rapid series of successes over a disheartened conspiracy, and then all
will be over. I give you these opinions as entitling us to what is
sometimes granted by candid tribunals, namely, a suspension of
judgment.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,