The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-07-07
MR.. AycRorr TO MR.. ADAMS IN REPLY.

New YORK, March D, 1866.
Ny Dear Mr.. AdGHS,-I have received from
YOU, by Lord Ru,sell's desire, a copy of his It tier
t. you of 2Sth February last, in which he denies
the truth of certain allegations in my address to
Congress on the 18th of the same month. The
pas age which he cites contains these three allie
CATIONS That as British Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs he viewed this republic as - the
late Union - that he sent this view of our coun-
try through the palaces of Europe and that he
made haste to do 50. When Lord Russell calls
to mind the authority for these statements he
must acknowledge them to be perfectly just and
true.
On the 9th day of May, 1861, Lord John Rus
sell, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
wrote Il dispatch to Lord Lyons in which he de-
scribes the condition of America as = the disrup-
ton of It confederacy - and he further used
these words - Civil war has broken out between
the several States of the late Union. The gov
eminent of the Southern portion has duly con-
stitutcd itself. Her Majesty's government do not
wish you to make any mystery of that view"
Here Is irretragabie proof of my first allegation.
On the day on which the Minister of the Queen
sthus wrote he addressed a dispatch to Lord Cow
lev, Ter Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, ~designat-
ing our republic as ~ the States which lately
composed the American Cnion,' the late
United States the late Union - and he en-
closed in that dispatch, for Lord Cowley's in
struction, a copy of the above cited letter to
Lord Lyons. Having thus ostentatiously coz
inundated his view OF our country as " the late
Union" ne asked, in return, to be made ac-
quainted with the views of the imperial govern
ment.'' My second allegation is, therefore, true,
in letter and in spirit.
That Lord John Russell, as Secretary of State,
was in haste to do this, appears from his not hav-
inc awaited the arrival of the American Minis
ter of Mr.. Lincoln's appointment, and from those
very letters of the 9th of May, 1861, to Lord
Cowley and to Lord Lyons for in those letters
hn .,Df,S=aS that no had not 1s yps 4. Tprpl ypI
from Lord Lyons any report OF the state OF affairs
and of the prospects of the several parties but
that on coming to the decision which was so mo-
mentous and unprecedented he acted on the
reports of : some conSuls and of the public
prints" ,
1t is true that twenty four DAYS after Lord
John Russell had officially described our country
as - the disruption of a confederacy, . the Ia :
United States,'' - the late Union he reprovcd
IA member of the House of Commons for openly
e~xulting : : that the great republican bubble in
America had BURST and owned - that the re-
public had been for many years Il great and free
State But he uttered no expectation or hope
of the restoration of our Union, and rather in
timatcd that the Americans We're "about to
destroy each others happiness and freedom
Lord John, on that occasion, rightly attributed
the rebellion to the "accursed institution OF
Slavery and confessed that England was the
giver of - the poisoned garment - that the
former governments of Great Britain were them
selves to blame for the origin OF the evil" But
this confession must be interpreted by the light
of his ayermemts on the 9th of May, 1861. and
by Lord Russells later assertion that the efforts
of our country were butt contest for - empire
In speaking to the American Congress of the
life and character of Abraham Lincoln it was my
unavoidable duty to refer To the conduct of the
British government towards our country during
his administration for nothing So wounded his
feelings. or exercised his judgment, or tried his
fortitude.
| was asked to address the two Houses of our
Congress, and those only. When | learned that
the British Minister at Washington was likely to
be- one of my hearers, | requested Mr.. Seward to
advise him not to be present; and through
another friend, | sent him a similar message,
which he received and perfectly understood.
| need not recall words of ninety years ago to
be persuaded that in peace America and the
United Kingdom should be friends. | have a
right to say this for when in the public service,
| proved it by public acts; and, as a private citi-
zen. | have never wished our government to de-
mand Of a foreign power anything but justice.
Pray send Lord Russell a copy Of this letter,
which he is at liberty to publish and | consider
myself equally at liberty to publish his letter, to
which this is a reply.
l am ever, my dear Mr.. Adams. very truly
yours. GEO. BANCROFT.