Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit a copy of a note from Lord Russell to me, of the 12th instant, in reply to my representation of the case of the steamer Southerner, as reported in my number 425, of the 5th of June. I had not been led to expect any other answer, especially after I learned that the deposition of the principal witness, Mr. Langley, was put at once into the hands of the parties complained of. This is not the first time that the action of the subordinate officers employed by the government has had the effect of preventing rather than promoting the development of testimony likely to inculpate the offenders. Thus it happens that the Phantom has actually sailed, and the Southerner will soon sail, probably to turn up, in some shape or other, as active participants in the hostilities carried on by the rebels on the ocean, against the people of the United States
The trial of the Alexandra is now set down to take place on Monday next, the 22d instant. Mr. Evarts will probably give you such information, in regard to the preparation of the case for the prosecution, as may dispense with the necessity of my enlarging upon it further. I cannot say that my hopes of success are very sanguine. The state of opinion is not such here, on the question of furnishing assistance to the rebels, as to counteract the prevailing disinclination to carry into effect the provisions of the enlistment law in any case. The predominating idea of the commercial classes is trade; they care not with whom, or with what consequences, short of absolute war. Juries are, therefore, likely to be slow to condemn any enterprise which is not marked as a direct hostile act. The government itself has too slight a hold on the confidence of Parliament, or the classes that it represents, to make it very strenuous in advocating any dubious cause. For these reasons I am not particularly confident of such a result as would be decisive of the maintenance of cordiality between the countries in regard to future outfits. The great issue that yet remains will be upon the iron-clad vessels building at Liverpool and Glasgow. This will probably come up somewhere in the month of August. That it will be materially [Page 317] affected by the law doctrines promulgated in the course of the pending trial can scarcely admit of a doubt. I am glad to find that Mr. Evarts is not without hopes of favorable results. A longer experience of the tendency of things in England qualifies mine very considerably.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.