y
regretting the great loss of life and the sufferings of the
people of the United States and the Confederate States of
North America by the continuance of the war which has been so
long waged between them, trust that Her Majesty's Government
will avail itself of the earliest opportunity of mediating in
conjunction with the other powers of Europe to bring about a
cessation of hostilities.'"

Lindsay had suggested to Palmerston that it was desirable for Mason to
return to England and have a conference with the Premier. To this
Palmerston gave a ready consent but, of course, no invitation. Lindsay
strongly urged Mason to come over:

_I think much good will follow your meeting Lord Palmerston.
It will lead to other meetings_; and besides in other matters
I think if you came here, you might _at present_ prove of
much service to the South[1177]."

Meanwhile the difference within the Southern Independence Association
permitted the coming forward of a minor London organization called _The
Society for Promoting the Cessation of Hostilities in America_. A letter
was addressed by it to Members of Parliament urging that the time had
come for action:

"215 _Regent Street,
London, W.
May 28th_, 1864.

"SIR,

"The Society which has the honour to present to you the
accompanying pamphlet, begs to state that there now exists in
Great Britain and Ireland a strong desire to see steps taken
by the Government of this country in concert with other
Powers, to bring about peace on a durable basis between the
belligerents in North America.

"I am directed by the Committee to express a hope that you
will, before the Session closes, support a motion in
Parliament to this effect; and should you desire to see
evidence of the feeling of a large portion of the country in
this matter, I shall be most happy to lay it before
you[1178]."

Whether Lindsay, vexed with the delays of the Association, had stirred
the Society to action, is not clear, but the date of this letter,
following on the day after the interview with Palmerston, is suggestive.
The pressure put on Mason to come to London was not at first successful.
Mason had become fixed in the opinion, arrived at in the previous fall,
that there was no favour to be expected from Palmerston or Russell and
that the only hope rested in their overthrow. Agains