He had
consulted Adams, who had no instructions but felt confident the United
States would soon formally declare the end of the war. The "piracy
proclamation" was certainly a strange proceeding. Derby pushed for an
answer as to whether the Government intended to let it go by unnoticed.
Russell replied that a despatch from Bruce showed that "notice" had been
taken of it. Derby asked whether the papers would be presented to
Parliament; Russell "was understood to reply in the affirmative[1314]."
Derby's inquiry was plainly merely a hectoring of Russell for his quick
shift from the position taken a month earlier. But the very indifference
of Russell to this attack, his carelessness and evasion in reply,
indicate confidence that Parliament was as eager as the Government to
satisfy the North and to avoid friction. The only actual "notice" taken
by Bruce at Washington of the "piracy proclamation" was in fact, to
report it to Russell, commenting that it was "unintelligible" and
probably a mere attempt to frighten foreign ship-owners[1315]. Russell
instructed Bruce not to ask for an explanation since Galveston had been
captured subsequent to the date of the proclamation and there was
presumably no port left where it could be applied[1316].
In truth the actual events of the closing days of the war had outrun
diplomatic action by America.
Pages:
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887