“Permit me to say that I am glad to see the London Times’ attack on you and your Trent speech. It will make you feel to the quick—what you did not seem to feel, or refused to admit—the insolent tone of the British press and public men towards us in our struggle for life, and the false manner in which they have tried to turn this case to our national ruin. Those few semi-republican, semi-abolition, liberally inclined men in England, whom you respect, and who command, perhaps, one paper and one monthly, are a drop in the bucket. The ruling class in England is determined to sever this Republic, and all its pent-up jealousy, arrogance, and superciliousness are breaking out stronger and stronger.
“There is not one English paper that I have seen which has not either suppressed or falsified the material facts of this case, because they know, that, properly understood, they would not support the hostile feeling against this country the papers depended upon keeping up. I am rejoiced to know that you feel this.
“I have had a letter from England, from a high source, which speaks of your speech as very able, etc., etc., but says, “No paper has dared to publish it,” and speaks of their attacking without publishing it, thus making it apparent that it is read.
“One of my letters says, ‘It is an excellent speech, but it has cost him his favor in England.’
“I write these things to you because I take pleasure in them. They are the best omen for you that I have seen.”
Hon. George R. Russell, an excellent citizen of Boston, travelling in Europe, wrote from Florence:—
“The Times has come down on you, and has failed. It has the usual bitterness, but the power is wanting.”
Hon. James E. Harvey, Minister Resident at Lisbon, wrote:—
“I have just read your speech on the Trent affair, and cannot refrain from expressing my thanks for its able and conclusive vindication of the position of our Government on that subject. If any reasoning can reconcile the American mind to the restitution of the two emissaries to British protection, your arguments and the calm and convincing presentation of facts must do it. What you have said of Hautefeuille might be justly applied to this statesmanlike production, which, in comprehension and in logical connection, is a state paper.”
Hon. Bradford R. Wood, Minister Resident at Copenhagen, wrote:—