feelings, Sir, that I second the Address to
the Crown[1304]."

Lincoln's assassination served to bring out not only British popular
sympathy, but also the certitude that the war was over and the North
victorious. But officially the Government had not yet recognized this.
Even as early as January, 1865, Seward had returned to the old proposal
that the nations of Europe should withdraw their recognition of
Southern belligerent rights[1305], and in March he had asked Stoeckl,
the Russian Minister, whether Russia would not lead in the suggestion of
this measure to England and France[1306]. Meanwhile Sherman's army was
rapidly advancing northward and reports were arriving of its pillagings
and burnings. March 20, Gregory asked in the Commons whether the
Government was taking any steps to prevent the destruction of British
property and received from Layard an evasive reply. Merely a "confident
hope" had been expressed to the United States that "every facility will
be given" to British subjects to prove ownership of property[1307].
Evidently the Government was not eager to raise irritating questions at
a moment when all eyes were strained to observe the concluding events
of the war.

Then came the news of Lee's surrender and of the assassination of
Lincoln, with the attack on Seward, already incapacitated from active
duties. Seward's illness delayed American pressure on England--a
fortunate circumstance in the relations with Great Britain in that it
gave time for a clearer appreciation of the rapidity and completeness of
the collapse of the South. May 15, Lord Houghton asked whether the
Government did not intend, in view of recent events in America, "to
withdraw the admission of belligerent rights conceded to the so-called
Confederate States." Russell promptly objected to the form of the
question: England had not "conceded" any rights to the South--she had
merely issued a proclamation of neutrality after Lincoln had declared
the existence of a war by proclaiming a blockade. England had had no
other recourse, unless she chose to refuse recognition of the blockade,
and this would have drawn her into the war. As to a withdrawal of the
neutrality proclamation this must wait upon official announcement from
the United States that the war was at an end. Texas was still in arms
and Galveston still blockaded, and for this section the United States
would no doubt continue to exercise on neutral vessels a belligerent
right of sear