at the Southern
Commissioners thought even England, the foe of slavery, would now be
compelled to bend the knee and recognize the South in order to get
cotton[95].

The Northern British Consuls on the other hand took an astonishingly
pro-Northern view of the whole situation. Archibald, consul at New York,
wrote to Russell soon after the fall of Sumter, an exceedingly strong
statement of his faith in the power of the North and its fixed and
unalterable determination to force the South back into the Union, his
confidence in Northern success, and his belief in the justice of the
Northern cause. He ventured to suggest the proper policy for England to
pursue, viz., to offer immediately her services in mediation but wholly
and clearly on the side of the North. He stated that if England did not
feel free to offer mediation, she should at least show "such a
consistent and effective demonstration of sympathy and aid" for the
North as would help in shortening the war[96]. The British Consul at
Boston wrote to Russell in much the same vein. So far, indeed, did these
men go in expressing their sympathy with the North, that Lyons, on April
27, commented to Russell that these consuls had "taken the Northern War
Fever," and that he had mildly reproved Archibald[97].

With the inauguration of Lincoln on March 4, and the installation of
Seward as Secretary of State, it was possible for Lyons to become more
active in his efforts to prevent a disruption of British Trade. On March
20 he told Seward in a confidential conversation:

"... If the United States determined to stop by force so
important a commerce as that of Great Britain with the
cotton-growing States, I could not answer for what
might happen.

"... It was, however, a matter of the greatest consequence to
England to procure cheap cotton. If a considerable rise were
to take place in the price of cotton, and British ships were
to be at the same time excluded from the Southern Ports, an
immense pressure would be put upon Her Majesty's Government
to use all the means in their power to open those ports. If
Her Majesty's Government felt it to be their duty to do so,
they would naturally endeavour to effect their object in a
manner as consistent as possible, first with their friendly
feelings towards both Sections of this Country, and secondly
with the recognized principles of International Law. As
re