second, third, and fourth articles of the declaration of Paris should be observed by those States in the prosecution of the hostilities in which they were engaged. Mr. Adams will observe that the commerce of Great Britain and France is deeply interested in the maintenance of the articles providing that the flag covers the goods, and that the goods of a neutral taken on board a belligerent ship are not liable to condemnation. Mr. Bunch, therefore, in what he has done in this matter, has acted in obedience to the instructions of his government, who accept the responsibility of his proceedings so far as they are known to the foreign department, and who cannot remove him from his office for having obeyed his instructions. But when it is stated in a letter from some person not named, that the first step to the recognition of the southern States by Great Britain has been taken, the undersigned has to decline all responsibility for such state ment. Her Majesty's government have already recognized the belligerent charaoter of the southern States, and they will continue to consider them as belligerents. But her Majesty's government have not recognized, and are not prepared to recognize the so-called Confederate States as a separate and independent State. The undersigned requests Mr. Adams to accept the assurance of his highest consideration. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States, has the honor to acknowledge the reception this day of two notes from the right honorable Earl Russel, her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, both dated the 9th of September, and both in reply to notes addressed to his lordship by the undersigned on the 3d instant, touching the case of Mr. Bunch, her Majesty's consul at Charleston, and the mode of transmission of his despatches. The undersigned has the honor to inform his lordship that copies of these notes will be transmitted by the next steamer for the consideration of the government of the United States. The undersigned requests Earl Russell to accept the assurance of his highest consideration. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Honorable EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. No. 88.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 14, 1861. SIR: Your despatch of August 30 (No. 34) has just been received. Your note to Lord John Russell, which accompanies it, is approved. My despatch to you, (No. 83,) under the date of the 7th instant, will have reached you before this communication can arrive. You will have learned from that paper that your course, as now made known to me, was anticipated by the President, and that he had already directed that the negotiation for our adhesion to the declaration of the congress of Paris should be suspended. It is due to the British government to say that the letter of Lord John Russell to Mr. Edwards, upon Dominican affairs, to which you refer, and a copy of which you enclose, was read to me by Lord Lyons, pursuant to instructions from Lord Russell. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. No. 89.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your despatch of August 30 (No. 35) has been received. While I regret with you that the administration of the laws of Great Britain is such as to render comparatively ineffectual your efforts to defeat there the designs of parties in that country injurious to the United States, I have great pleasure in saying that the information we receive from you concerning them is often very valuable, and enables us to put our own authorities here in a way of vigilant surveillance which promises good results. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. [Confidential.] No. 95.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your despatch of September 7 (No. 39) has just been received. Your review of the correspondence between us and the British government since you entered upon your mission is quite satisfactory, and we have every reason to be content with the details as with the results. The time which has elapsed since the insurgents made their first unnatural appeal to the sympathies and aid of foreign powers for the overthrow of our government has been sufficient to draw out all their strength and exhaust in some measure their passion. On the other hand, the strength of the Union manifests itself with constant augmentation. Every day brings two thousand men and some new ship-of-war into activity, and the insurrection, already, is finding itself obliged to provide for a long and merely defensive contest, desolating the States which should constitute the new confederacy, while the loyal States remain prosperous and happy. I think that Great Britain will soon be able to see, what she has hitherto been unwilling to see, that, if she, like ourselves, seeks peace and prosperity on this continent, she can most effectually contribute to their restoration by manifesting her wishes for the success of this government in suppressing the insurrection as speedily as possible. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. No. 97.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 25, 1861. SIR: Your despatch of September 6, No. 38, has been received. Our naval force is rapidly increasing, and the command of it has recently been reorganized. We are preparing for some vigorous demonstrations on the coast, to begin in about ten days; and I trust, therefore, that we shall be able to defeat on this side the enterprises of the insurgents which we have been unable to prevent on the other. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., £c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. [Extract.] No. 50.] SIR: * LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, * * * During my stay at Abergeldie I alluded to instructions received at the moment of my leaving London, in your despatch, No. 84, of the 10th of September, directing me to make a complaint of the authorities at Trinidad for their mode of reception of the insurgent privateer, the Sumter. I read to him the copy of the letter of Mr. Bernard, which was enclosed. But I contented myself with only mentioning the subject, as I said I supposed I should be obliged to present the case hereafter, in a more formal way, in writing. His lordship expressed a wish that I should take that course. The matter had already come before the colonial office, and it had been referred to the law officers of the crown, to report what was the action proper to be taken in similar cases. * * * I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. No. 52.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward, LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I am much gratified to perceive, by the terms of your despatch, No. 83, dated the 7th of this month, a substantial ratification of the position taken by me in regard to Lord Russell's note of the 19th of August, and to the declaration which he proposed to append to the convention con cerning neutral rights. I find in it, too, a general coincidence in the argument presented by me in my reply to his lordship on the 23d of August, a copy of which could not have reached the department down to the latest dates yet received. There are some views offered, however, in my note, which are not touched upon in that despatch. I am, therefore, not as yet fully certain whether, as a whole, it has met with the approbation of the President. For this reason I decided not to hold communication on the subject with Lord Russell, during the time of my late stay under his roof, but rather to wait until after the arrival of the next despatches from the department, which will probably bring a final review of the negotiation, as it appears, after an examination of all the papers that belong to it. I shall then be in a position to judge of the propriety of any further action which it may be advisable to pursue. His lordship informed me, on my taking leave of him, that he expected to return to London by the 14th of next month, after which I anticipate no delay, like the late one, in the transaction of important business. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. [Extract.] No. 53.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the reception of despatches from the department, numbered from 85 to 89, both inclusive. The despatch, No. 85, dated the 10th of September, like its immediate predecessor, No. 84, of the same date, though received here a week earlier, relates to cases of violation of neutrality in the British islands in the West Indies. I have now the honor to forward copies of two notes addressed by me to Lord Russell, one of the 30th of September, and the other of the fol lowing day, touching these questions. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, * CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States, regrets to be obliged to inform the right honorable Earl Russell, her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, that he has been instructed by the President of the United States to prefer a complaint against the authorities of the island of Trinidad for a violation of her Majesty's proclamation of neutrality, by giving aid and encouragement to the insurgents of the United States. It appears by an extract from a letter received at the Department of State from a gentleman believed to be worthy of credit, a resident of Trinidad, Mr. Francis Bernard, a copy of which is submitted herewith, that a steam vessel, known as an armed insurgent privateer, called the Sumter, was received on the 30th of July last at that port, and was permitted to remain for six days, during which time she was not only furnished with all necessary supplies for the continuance of her cruise, under the sanction of the attorney general, but that her Majesty's flag was actually hoisted on the government flag-staff in acknowledgment of her arrival. The undersigned has been directed by his government to bring this extraordinary proceeding to the attention of Lord Russell, and, in case it shall not be satisfactorily explained, to ask for the adoption of such measures as shall insure, on the part of the authorities of the island, the prevention of all occurrences of the kind during the continuance of the difficulties in America. The undersigned deems it proper to add, in explanation of the absence of any official representation from Trinidad to substantiate the present complaint, that there was no consul of the United States there at the time of the arrival of the vessel. The undersigned had the honor, a few days since, to apprise Lord Russell of the fact that this deficiency had been since supplied, by preferring an application for her Majesty's exequator for a new consul, who is already on his way to occupy his post. The undersigned begs to renew to Earl Russell the assurances of his highest consideration. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. The Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: It is with much regret that I find myself receiving, at every fresh arrival from the United States, instructions from my government to make representations to your lordship concerning alleged violations of her Majesty's proclamation of neutrality, committed by British subjects through the channel of the colonies situated near the United States. I have the honor now to submit to your lordship's consideration the copy of an intercepted letter from a person named John P. Baldwin, living at Richmond, in Virginia, in the service of the insurgents, addressed to Henry Adderley, esquire, of Nassau, New Providence. It appears by this letter that Nassau has been made, to some extent, an entrepot for the transmission of articles Ex. Doc. 1-11 |