Part 32 (1/2)

[Footnote 705: Hansard, 3rd. Ser. CLXVIII, pp. 511-549, for the entire debate.]

[Footnote 706: Lyons Papers. Lyons to Stuart, July 19, 1862.]

[Footnote 707: _A Cycle of Adams' Letters_, I, pp. 168-9. To Charles Francis Adams, Jr., July 19, 1862.]

[Footnote 708: Mason Papers. The larger part of Slidell's letter to Mason is printed in Sears, ”A Confederate Diplomat at the Court of Napoleon III,” _Am. Hist. Rev._, Jan., 1921, p. 263. C.F. Adams, ”A Crisis in Downing Street,” Ma.s.s. Hist. Soc. _Proceedings_, May, 1914, p.

379, is in error in dating this letter April 21, an error for which the present writer is responsible, having misread Slidell's difficult hand-writing.]

[Footnote 709: Richardson, II, pp. 268-289. Slidell to Benjamin, July 25, 1862. It is uncertain just when Mason learned the details of Slidell's offer to France. Slidell, in his letter of July 20, wrote: ”There is an important part of our conversation that I will give you through Mr. Mann,” who, apparently, was to proceed at once to London to enlighten Mason. But the Mason Papers show that Mann did not go to London, and that Mason was left in the dark except in so far as he could guess at what Slidell had done by reading Benjamin's instructions, sent to him by Slidell, on July 30. These did _not_ include anything on Mexico, but made clear the plan of a ”special commercial advantage” to France. In C.F. Adams, ”A Crisis in Downing Street,” p. 381, it is stated that Benjamin's instructions were written ”at the time of Mercier's visit to Richmond”--with the inference that they were a result of Mercier's conversation at that time. This is an error. Benjamin's instructions were written on April 12, and were sent on April 14, while it was not until April 16 that Mercier reached Richmond. To some it will no doubt seem inconceivable that Benjamin should not have informed Mercier of his plans for France, just formulated. But here, as in Chapter IX, I prefer to accept Mercier's positive a.s.surances to Lyons at their face value. Lyons certainly so accepted them and there is nothing in French doc.u.ments yet published to cast doubt on Mercier's honour, while the chronology of the Confederate doc.u.ments supports it.]

[Footnote 710: Mason Papers.]

[Footnote 711: _Ibid._, Mason to Slidell, July 18 and 19.]

[Footnote 712: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1863, _Lords_, Vol. XXIX.

”Correspondence with Mr. Mason respecting Blockade and Recognition.”

No. 7.]

[Footnote 713: _Ibid._, No. 8.]

[Footnote 714: _Ibid._, No. 9.]

[Footnote 715: See _ante_, p. 18.]

[Footnote 716: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1862, _Lords_, Vol. XXV. ”Further Correspondence relating to the Civil War in the United States.” No. 2.

Russell to Stuart, July 28, 1862.]

[Footnote 717: Gladstone Papers. To Col. Neville, July 26, 1862.]

[Footnote 718: Lyons Papers. July 29, 1862.]

[Footnote 719: Malmesbury, _Memoirs of an Ex-Minister_, II, p. 276. July 31, 1862.]

[Footnote 720: Arnold, _Cotton Famine_, p. 175.]

[Footnote 721: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1863, _Lords_, Vol. XXIX.

”Correspondence with Mr. Mason respecting Blockade and Recognition.”

No. 10.]

[Footnote 722: _Ibid._, No. 11.]

[Footnote 723: Gladstone Papers. Also Argyll, _Autobiography_, II, p.

191.]

[Footnote 724: Hansard, 3rd. Ser., CLXVIII, p. 1177 _seq_.]

[Footnote 725: Mason Papers. Mason to Slidell, Aug. 5, 1862.]