Adams understood Russell to have said that he "had already
transmitted authority [to Lyons] to assent to any modification of the
only point in issue which the Government of the United States might
prefer. On that matter he believed that there would be no difficulty
whatever[284]." This clearly referred to privateering. Russell's
instructions to Lyons took up the points of the Declaration of Paris in
reverse order. That on blockades was now generally accepted by all
nations. The principle of the third article had "long been recognized as
law, both in Great Britain and in the United States." The second
article, "sanctioned by the United States in the earliest period of the
history of their independence," had been opposed, formerly, by Great
Britain, but having acquiesced in the Declaration of 1856, "she means to
adhere to the principle she then adopted." Thus briefly stating his
confidence that the United States would agree on three of the articles,
Russell explained at length his views as to privateering in the
American crisis.
"There remains only to be considered Article I, namely, that
relating to privateering, from which the Government of the
United States withheld their assent. Under these
circumstances it is expedient to consider what is required on
this subject by the general law of nations.
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