The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-01-22
British Ladies Aided America

states that Lady Russell, whose hus
band was Great Britain's foreign sec
rotary, surreptitiously gave him to un-
derstand that Queen Victoria was our
friend, thereby assuring him, by in
direction. that he need have no fear
Of war with England. Mr. Weed does
not state how Lady Russell knew this,
he says it was assumed that her nus
band told her The story of how she
really did come in possession OF this
information was told to me shortly
after the death OF Queen Victoria by
Frederick w. Seward, our assistant
secretary of state during the civil war.
The day before Lady Russell spoke
to Mr.. Weed" said Mr. Seward "a
number OF the British cabinet ladies',
including Lady Russell, met at Lady
| PalmerstOnS house to take luncheon.
| think. At all events, they were chat
ting when the prime minister himself
came abruptly into the room. The
ladies saw at once that he was greatly
! irritated about somethirg, He carried
his dispatch book, which showed that
he had been with the queen He threw
! it, half angrily, upon the table, and.
after giving the ladies a greeting that
was almost curt, he stalkcd out Of the
room.
Something must have gone wrong
at the cabinet meeting, Lady Palmer
ston announced to her guests. Then
she beheld the dispatch book still ~
! ing on the table. Look" she said he
has left this behind Perhaps, if We
peek into it, we shall find out what
the trouble is.
she opened the book and discOy-
cred there the draft OF the letter
which the cabinet had prepared for
Lord Lyons, the British minister at
Washington, to present to this govern
ment as Great Britains demand for
| the release of Mason and Slidell. 1t
was a very drastic and pcremptory
note Sent in that form. it would have
oCcasioned serious friction and, very
! likely, war. Lady Palmcrston glanced
hastily through the note
Look she exclaimed, I see the
cause of the trouble. Here are inter-
| lineations in the prince ConsOrts own
hand. The queen doesn't like the
terms in which the letter is coUched,
and at her suggestion, the prince con
sort has modified them greatly so that
the United States can receive the note
without humiliation or irritation
An hour or so later the sisteT-in-
law of Lord Palmerston presented her
self at the lodgings of Mr. Weed and
his sister, Harriet. She did not stop
for any formal courtesies.
Mr. Weed she said, I have just
come from Lady PalmerstOn's house
She knows that | have come to YOU
and so do the other ladies there, who
are your friends, and all of whom
would regard it as terrible thing il
there were to be war between the
United States and Great Britain. And
there doesn't need to be. In an hour 5
time the mails for the United States
will close. The next mail does not
leave until two days hence Now, We
want you TO write a letter TO Score
tary Seward, saying to him that the
queen is friend of the United States,
and asking him to receive any com
munication that may come officially
through Lord Lyons, our minister to
the United States, in a friendly spirit.
SO that all possible friction may be re-
moved, | cant make any further OK.
PLANTATION If your letter is received
by Secretary Seward before the ON.
cial communication comes, he will BE-
prepared Tor whatever he hears Oil.
cially from our cabinet
Her message delivered, The lady
departed at once Mr. Weed immcal
ately wrote a private note TO Score.
tary Of State Seward in time 10 catch
the mail for the United states ahead
OF the mailing Of the official note 10
Lord Lyons, and the following day
Lady Russell also told Mr.. Weed hat
the queen was orr friend remember
very well how pleased my father was
when he received that private note
and / can now say that its receipt in
advance Of the British note gudoubt
edly paved The way for hat courteous
Interchange Of correspondence pbiat
eventually removed all possibility Of
war between this country and ling.
land over the seizure OF Mason and
slidell on British vessel on the high
seas"
Copyright, lsoe, BY E J. EdwaraA,