Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-09-04
Enclosure in No. /.
Mr.. SEWARD TO MR.. ADAMS.


WAsHINGToN, May 2s, 1862.
SIR: Your dispatch of the Sth of May has
Leen received.
There is statement in the public journals
that thirty vessels which had left British ports
with common design to run our blockade,
have gathered at Nassau, and that they are
now remaining there awaiting the relaxation Of
the blockade at some of the Southern ports
which the President has permitted to take place
on the | of june prelerrng to avail them
selves of that lawful privilege rather than per-
severe in their prohibited operations. think,
therefore, that we may congratulate ourselves
upon having advanced to new stage in our
intercourse with maritime Powers affecting the
present troubles in the United States, stage
at which motives of sympathy in foreign coun-
tries with the insurgents, derived from the
pressure of the blockade, will appear.
This stage is also marked by another i'm
provement OF the case-namely, the withdrawal
from the ocean of the pirates who hav. oc-
'sonally sought shelter and protection in
friendly ports, while committing depreda'ions
on American commerce.
Under the Presidents instructions, | desire
to improve the position thus obtained, to con-
fer, if our representatives abroad, shall think
it discreet, with the friendly Nations, upon the
prospects of the war and their future course in
regard to it.
BY way of introduction, | beg to recall to
,our recollection the facts thlt, at the elre st
proper moment set forth most distinctly the
opinion of this Government that the mutual in
terests, present and permanent, of all maritime
nations including this country, require the
preservation OF harmonious relations between
them, and that the same interests demand that,
so far as possible, peace shall prevail through
out the worll and especially in the United
States and upon the American continent.
In explanation Of these views, set forth the
opinion that the industrial systems of Western
Europe and the United States, including their
agrcul ure manufactures, and commerce are,
in some respects to he regarded less as dis
tnct national systems than as one general com
| bination of agricultural, mlnutacturing, and
| commercial agencies, in which Jar in one
country necessarily produces disturbance IN oil
others, so that serious disorganzation of the
machinery employed in production here cannot
fail to result in arrangement, probably in dis
aster, everywhere abroad.
There are now some painful evidencies that
| these speculatons were not sound. There is
distress among the peasantry of Ireland, in the
manufacturing towns of Belgium, and the wine
presses and silk-looms in some parts OF France
seeming to be coming to dead stand. All the
sufferers will not stop to inquire how justly
race their miStortunes to the civil war of the
| United States. 1t is manifest that what the
| European nations want is an end of that war
as speedy anil leaving the Industrial system Of
this country as little disorganized as possible
1t would seem impossible for any consderate
person to doubt that this is the very consum l.
ton which the Governm ent of the United Staies
must want even more than it can be desired by
the European States. This Government has
expressed that want earnestly, decidedly, some
times, perhaps, even impatenty. Neyerthe-
| less the war has continued a whole yea,
against the wishes of Europe "a well as of
America. new campaign is even beginning.
In order to determine whether it is likely to
reach the desired end it will not be unprotta-
BILE to consider the causes OF its proloEgation to
the present period. Tn, GJvernm,nt at the
beginning assumed, and it has constantly in
sisted that the Union cJuld must, and should
be preserved On the other hand the Euro
pean nations when they saw the storm burst
upon the country, either doubted, or actually
disbeeved the possibility of that great saliva
walton. Europe hal not subordinate and in
direct interest in the great problem, and it sup
posed that il the United States could he only
convinced that the Union could not in tie end
be preserved they would at once forego the
contest, and consent to a National DISSOLUTION
which it was enormously thought woull be fol-
lowed BY peace, while we knew that it would only
be the beginning of endless war. Thus, Euro
pean opinion has practically fVored the insur-
gents, and encouraged them with ephemeral
sympathies and unreal expectations of foregr
intervention, and has thus protracted the wal
to the present time.
Certainly this Government and the American
people are even more confident of the presrva
, ton of the Union now than they were yea
: ago, and are therefore, even less likely nov
than they were then to accept peace, with thu
! inconceivable pains and perils of dissolution
Can it be presumptuous, then, for us to asl
Z European statesmen to review in the light o
!. the events of the war, the opinion which the,
formed at so early stage Of it, that the opin
ion itself might perhaps, properly be deemed
Il prejudice!
OF course. in such a review the observe
would not overlook the contrast between tn
position which the Federal Government held
wear ago and its present situation. Then it ha
been practically expelled, with all its authorities
civil military, and naval, from every state Stat
south of the Potomac, Ohio, and Mississippi
Rivers while it was held in close siege in thi
Capital, cut off from communication with eve
r. the States which had remained loyal.
/, Now it has virtually retaken all the position
it so early lost on the seaboardi 1t possesst
- the Mississippi and all the great national higl
ID ways, and has forced the insurgents to battle
tne most lnhtCcsSloIc pdlt va wv '"'"' ''NN''"'''
district The forces and the resources OF tt
It, Government are unexhausted and increasing
t. Those of the insurgents are diminished and b.
'o coming nearly exhausted.
No one, either here or in Europe, now col
tests these simple facts. The only argumel
opposed to them is that the insurgents have d
n, termined not to acknowledge the authority
= the Union. The evidence of this is a certa
resoute and definite tone maintained by the
organs,
,E Certainly, so long as the insurgents have al
is hope of ultimate success they could not be e
AZ, peced to discourse otherwise than in just SUI
By tone, nor will they fail to cherish such hop
en- so long as they find willingness to meet
re. with sympathy in Europe. The very last a
Sc, vices which came from that quarter previous
'ut the arrival there of the news of the ia of Nc
at Orleans and Norfolk were full of spcculatio
at about some ewly-conccived form Of interye
W tion.
But it must be remembered that the insu
he gents are men, and that they may be expect
b to speak and act like other beligerent tactic
So under similar conditions. So, also, being me