someone, presumably Derby or Disraeli, had put a quietus
on the plan to make an issue of the stoppage of Southern ship-building.
Russell's reply to his accusers was but a curt denial without going into
details, in itself testimony that he had no fear of a party attack on
the _policy_ of stopping the ships. He was disgusted with the result of
the _Alexandra_ trial and in conversation with Adams reflected upon "the
uncertainty and caprice incident everywhere to the administration of
justice[1153]."

As between Russell and Seward the waters formerly troubled by the stiff
manner and tone of the one statesman and the flamboyance of the other
were now unusually calm. Russell was less officious and less eager to
protest on minor matters and Seward was less belligerent in language.
Seward now radiated supreme confidence in the ultimate victory of the
North. He had heard rumours of a movement to be made in Parliament for
interposition to bring the war to an end by a reunion of North and South
on a basis of Abolition and of a Northern assumption of the Confederate
debts. Commenting on this to Lyons he merely remarked that the Northern
answer could be put briefly as: (1) determination to crush rebellion by
force of arms and resentment of any "interposition"; (2) the slaves were
already free and would not be made the subject of any bargain; (3) "As
to the Confederate debt the United States, Mr. Seward said, would never
pay a dollar of it[1154]." That there was public animosity to Great
Britain, Lyons did not deny and reported a movement in Congress for
ending the reciprocity treaty with Canada but, on Seward's advice, paid
no attention to this, acknowledging that Seward was very wise in
political manipulation and depending on his opposition to the
measure[1155]. Some alarm was indeed caused through a recurrence by
Seward to an idea dating back to the very beginning of the war of
establishing ships off the Southern ports which should collect duties on
imports. He told Lyons that he had sent a special agent to Adams to
explain the proposal with a view to requesting the approval of Great
Britain. Lyons urged that no such request be made as it was sure to be
refused, interpreting the plan as intended to secure a British
withdrawal of belligerent rights to the South, to be followed by a bold
Northern defiance to France if she objected[1156]. Adams did discuss the
project with Russell but easily agreed to postpone consideration of it
an