esty's forces occupied Canton.]

Then the violence and bad spirit displayed in America have
produced no small consternation here, though everybody goes on
saying that a war between the two countries, and for so little
cause, is impossible.[12] It does seem impossible, and the
manifest interest of both nations is opposed to it; but when a
country is so mob-governed as America, and the Executive is so
destitute of power, there must be great danger. However, the
general conviction is, that the present exhibition of violence is
attributable to the malignity of the outgoing party, which is
desirous of embarrassing their successors, and casting on them
the perils of a war or the odium of a reconciliation with this
country, and strong hopes are entertained that the new Government
will be too wise to fall into the snare that is laid for them,
and strong enough to check and master the bad spirit which is
rife in the Northern States. The real difficulty arises from the
conviction here, that in the case of M'Leod we are in the right,
and the equally strong conviction there, that we are not, and the
actual doubt on which side the truth lies. Senior, whom I met the
other day, expressed great uncertainty, and he proposes, and has
written to Government on the subject, that the question of
International Law shall be submitted to the decision of a German
University--that of Berlin, he thinks, would be the best. This
idea he submitted to Stevenson, who approved of it, but the great
difficulty would be to agree upon a statement of facts. Yesterday
Lord Lyndhurst was at the Council Office, talking over the matter
with Sir Herbert Jenner and Justice Littledale, and he said it
was very questionable if the Americans had not right on their
side; and that he thought, in a similar case here, we should be
obliged to try the man, and if convicted, nothing but a pardon
could save him. These opinions casting such serious doubts on the
question of right, are at least enough to restrain indignation
and beget caution.

[12] [This refers to the case of one M'Leod, who had been
engaged as a member of the Colonial forces in repelling
the attack made upon Canada from United States
territory, and who had consequently acted as an agent
of the British Government. But M'Leod was arrested at
New York in 1841 upon a charge of the murder of one
Durfee, who was killed during the capture of the