Charles Francis Adams, U.S. Minister to the U.K., to his son, Charles.
London, March 24, 1865
ON this side my situation seems at last to be getting easy and comfortable, so far as freedom from anxiety is concerned. A great change of opinion has been going on in the last few months, in regard to the chances of the issue. People feel the power of our position and the weakness of that of the rebels. They are also not without some embarrassment respecting the possible consequence to themselves of their indiscreet betrayal of their true sentiments towards us. This has led to a singular panic in regard to what will be done by us, after a restoration. A week or two since you could not drive the notion out of their heads that we were not about to pounce at once upon Canada. This was corrected by the first debate that took place in Parliament on that subject. Last night there was another, the burden of which was absolute faith in our desire to remain on the most friendly relations. At the same time £50,000 was voted for the purpose of fortifying Quebec in case of accidents. The case then stands logically thus. If they do believe what they say, the money is thrown away, as no fortification can be necessary. If on the other hand they do not believe it, and that opinion is a just one, £50,000 will not go very far to putting Canada out of our reach. The fear that is implied is far more of a provocative than a resource in the dilemma.
Be this as it may, one thing seems for the present to be settled! That is, that no hope is left for any aid to the rebel cause. England will initiate nothing to help them in their critical moment. So far as any risk of an aggressive policy is concerned, it is over. Mr. Seward may now rely upon it, that if troubles supervene, it must happen very much by his own act. He has a right to exult in the success of his policy in carrying the country in its hour of peril clear of the hazards of foreign complications. The voluminous intrigues of the rebel emissaries have been completely baffled, their sanguine anticipations utterly disappointed. They have spent floods of money in directing the press, in securing aid from adventurers of all sorts, and in enlisting the services of ship and cannon builders with all their immense and powerful following, and it has been all in vain. So far as any efforts of theirs are concerned, we might enter Richmond tomorrow. This act of the drama is over. . . .
