of those 'circumstances over
which they have no control,' which leave weak men and weak
ministers no choice. They will not, if they are not forced to
it, quarrel with Mr. Seward, or with Mr. Bright. They will
let Lancashire starve; they will let British merchantmen be
plundered off Nassau and burnt off Cuba; they will submit to
a blockade of Bermuda or of Liverpool; but they will do
nothing which may tend to bring a supply of cotton from the
South, or to cut off the supply of eggs and bacon from the
North[1043]."

But this plan of 'turning to the Tories' received scant encouragement
and was of no immediate promise, as soon appeared by the debate in
Parliament on reassembling, February 5, 1863. Derby gave explicit
approval of the Government's refusal to listen to Napoleon[1044]. By
February, Russell, having recovered from the smart of defeat within the
Cabinet, declared himself weary of the perpetual talk about mediation
and wrote to Lyons, "... till both parties are heartily tired and sick
of the business, I see no use in talking of good offices. When that time
comes Mercier will probably have a hint; let him have all the honour and
glory of being the first[1045]." For the time being Spence's idea was
laid aside, Gregory writing in response to an inquiry from Mason:

"The House of Commons is opposed to taking any step at
present, feeling rightly or wrongly that to do so would be
useless to the South, and possibly embroil us with the North.
Any motion on the subject will be received with disfavour,
consequently the way in which it will be treated will only
make the North more elated, and will irritate the South
against us. If I saw the slightest chance of a motion being
received with any favour I would not let it go into other
hands, but I find the most influential men of all Parties
opposed to it[1046]."

Of like opinion was Slidell who, writing of the situation in France,
reported that he had been informed by his "friend at the Foreign Office"
that "It is believed that every possible thing has been done here in
your behalf--we must now await the action of England, and it is through
that you must aim all your efforts in that direction[1047]."

With the failure, at least temporary, of Southern efforts to move the
British Government or to stir Parliament, energies were now directed
toward using financial methods of winning