Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/173

 Our American Civil War. 161

"If," the letter runs, "contrary to our expectations, the British Government, either alone or in combination with any other gov- ernment, should acknowledge the insurgents, while you are re- maining without further instructions from this Government con- cerning that event, you will immediately suspend the exercise of your functions. * * * I have now in behalf of the United States, and by authority of their Chief Executive Magistrate, performed an important duty. Its possible consequences have been weighed, and its solemnity is, therefore, keenly felt and freely acknowledged. This duty has brought us to meet and con' front the danger of a war with Great Britain, and other States allied with the insurgents, who are in arms for the overthrow of the American Union. You will perceive that Ave have ap- proached the contemplation of that crisis with the caution which great reluctance has inspired. But I trust you will also have perceived that the crisis has not appalled us."

It would seem as if ]\Ir. Adams, in attributing the inaction of the Cabinet on the 23d of October to ]\Ir. Gladstone's New- castle speech, had underrated the effect of this letter of Mr. Seward's, backed up by the fiery zeal of his father. But, how- ever that may be, it is morally certain, in view of the require- ments of the Queen, that before a line of policy was adopted she should be in possession of all the facts, that the contents of ^Ir. Sevv-ard's letter and the proposed Cabinet must have been laid before her, and it may be said with equal confidence that she disapproved the programme if such really existed. When the open threat of AFr. Seward was made known to her that recognition meant war, can there be a doubt that she set the seal of her disapproval upon it? This we think furnishes the clue to the non action of the Cabinet. It must not be for- gotten that at no time was the British Government disposed to provoke a casus belli with the United States. There were many considerations against it, not the least of which was the position of Canada, the possession of which it was thought would be a great bait to the North in case the Union was finally dismem- bered.