The entire matter was now transferred to London and Paris. Lyons' report
of the misunderstanding and that new instructions were being sent to
Adams was received on June 30. Russell replied to Lyons on July 5 that
Adams had "never made any proposition" on the Declaration of Paris, and
that he would now await one[302]. July 11, Adams made his formal offer
to sign a convention and communicated a draft of it on the thirteenth.
On the day intervening, the twelfth, Russell took a very important step
indicative of his sincerity throughout, of his lack of any ulterior
motive, and of his anxiety to carry through the negotiation with no
resulting irritations or complications with the United States. He
recalled his instructions to Lyons about communicating with the
Confederacy, stating that in any case he had never intended that Lyons
should act without first officially notifying Seward. This recall was
now made, he wrote, because to go on might "create fresh irritation
without any adequate result," but if in the meantime Lyons had already
started negotiations with the South he might "proceed in them to the
end[303]."
Having taken this step in the hope that it might avert friction with the
United States, Russell, now distinctly eager to secure American
adherence to the Declaration in full, was ready to conclude the
convention at once.
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