[155] Hansard, 3rd. Ser., Vol. CLXII, pp. 1378-9. This blunt expression of Great Britain's Foreign Secretary offers an interesting comparison with the words of the American President Wilson, in a parallel statement at the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Wilson on August 3, 1914, gave a special audience to newspaper correspondents, begging them to maintain an attitude of calm impartiality. On August 4 he issued the first of several neutrality proclamations in which, following the customary language of such documents, the people were notified that neutrality did not restrict the "full and free expression of sympathies in public and in private." But on August 18 in an address to the people of the United States, this legal phraseology, required by traditional usage was negatived by Wilson's appeal that "we must be impartial in thought as well as in action, must put a curb upon our sentiments as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another." And three weeks later, on September 8, came the proclamation setting aside October 4 "as a day of prayer to Almighty God," informing Him that war existed and asking His intervention. Possibly Russell's more blunt and pithy expression was better suited to the forthrightness of the British public.
[156] Hansard, ibid., pp. 1564-7. Gregory, a "Liberal-Conservative," though never a "good party man" was then supporting Palmerston's ministry. He was very popular in Parliament, representing by his prominence in sport and society alike, the "gentleman ruling class" of the House of Commons, and was a valuable influence for the South.
[157] This subject is developed at length in Chapter V on "The Declaration of Paris Negotiation."
[158] See ante, p. 88. The chronology of these rapidly succeeding events is interesting:
April 29--Malmesbury states in the Lords that "news was received
this day."
May 1--Naval reinforcements sent to American waters.
May 1--Russell's interview with Dallas.
May 2--Russell's plea in Parliament, "For God's sake keep out of
it."
May 3--Russell's first interview with Yancey and Rost.
May 3--Attorney-General's memorandum.
May 4--Russell's note to Lyons that this is a "regular war."
May 6--Cowley instructed to ask France to recognize Southern
belligerency.
May 6--Lyons notified that England will recognize Southern belligerency.
May 6--Russell states in Parliament that privateers can not be
treated as pirates.
[Presumably, since parliamentary sittings begin in the late
afternoons, the instructions to diplomats were drawn before
the statement in Parliament.]
May 9--Russell's second interview with Yancey and Rost.
May 9--Sir George Lewis announces that a Proclamation of Neutrality
will be issued soon.
May 13--The Proclamation authorized.
May 13--Adams reaches Liverpool.
May 14--The Proclamation officially published in the London Gazette.
May 14--Adams in London "ready for business."
It would appear that Russell's expressions in Parliament on May 2 indicated clearly the purpose of the Government. This was notified to Lyons on May 4, which may be taken as the date when the governmental position had become definitely fixed, even though official instructions were not sent Lyons until the 6th.
[159] F.O., Am., Vol. 780, No. 50. Bunch to Russell, April 19, 1861.
[160] F.O., Am., 789, Monson to Alston, received May 21.
[161] F.O., Am., 763, No. 197, Lyons to Russell, received May 26. The full statement is:
"To an Englishman, sincerely interested in the welfare of
this country, the present state of things is peculiarly
painful. Abhorrence of slavery, respect for law, more
complete community of race and language, enlist his
sympathies on the side of the North. On the other hand, he
cannot but reflect that any encouragement to the predominant
war feeling in the North cannot but be injurious to both
sections of the country. The prosecution of the war can lead
only to the exhaustion of the North by an expenditure of life
and money on an enterprise in which success and failure would
be alike disastrous. It must tend to the utter devastation of
the South. It would at all events occasion a suspension of
Southern cultivation which would be calamitous even more to
England than to the Northern States themselves."
"To an Englishman, sincerely interested in the welfare of
this country, the present state of things is peculiarly
painful. Abhorrence of slavery, respect for law, more
complete community of race and language, enlist his
sympathies on the side of the North. On the other hand, he
cannot but reflect that any encouragement to the predominant
war feeling in the North cannot but be injurious to both
sections of the country. The prosecution of the war can lead
only to the exhaustion of the North by an expenditure of life
and money on an enterprise in which success and failure would
be alike disastrous. It must tend to the utter devastation of
the South. It would at all events occasion a suspension of
Southern cultivation which would be calamitous even more to
England than to the Northern States themselves."
[162] Hansard, 3rd. Ser., CLXII, p. 1763.
[163] Ibid., pp. 1830-34. In the general discussion in the Lords there appeared disagreement as to the status of privateering. Granville, Derby, and Brougham, spoke of it as piracy. Earl Hardwicke thought privateering justifiable. The general tone of the debate, though only on this matter of international practice, was favourable to the North.