otism, Davis, himself regarded as an extremist, felt it necessary
in denial of an asserted unreasonableness of personal attitude, to
appoint to office men known for their earlier moderate opinions on both
slavery and secession[130]. "The single exception to this general
policy[131]" was the appointment as agents to Europe of Yancey, Rost and
Mann, all of them extreme pro-slavery men and eager secessionists. Of
these Mann was the only one with any previous diplomatic experience.
Yancey's choice was particularly inappropriate, for he at least was
known abroad as the extreme fire-eating Southern orator, demanding for
ten years past, that Southern action in defence of states rights and
Southern "interests," which now, at last, the South was attempting[132].

Yancey and Rost, starting on their journey on March 16, reached London
on April 29[133]. Meanwhile in this same month of April, conditions in
America, so long confused and uncertain, were being rapidly clarified.
The South, earlier than the North, had come to a determined policy, for
while during January and February, at the Montgomery convention, there
had been uncertainty as to actively applying the doctrinaire right of
secession, by March the party of action had triumphed, and though there
was still talk of conferences with the North, and commissioners actually
appointed, no real expectation existed of a favourable result. In the
North, the determination of policy was more slowly developed. Lincoln
was not inaugurated until March 4, and no positive pronouncement was
earlier possible. Even after that date uncertainty still prevailed.
European correspondents were reporting men like Sumner as willing to let
the South go in peace. The Mayor of New York City was discussing the
advisability of a separate secession by that financial centre from
Nation and State alike--and of setting up as a "free town." Seward, just
appointed Secretary of State, was repudiating in both official and
private talk any intention to coerce the South by force of arms[134]. It
is no wonder that British statesmen were largely at sea over the
American situation.

But on April 13, 1861, the Stars and Stripes floating over Fort Sumter
in Charleston harbour was lowered in surrender of a Federal fortress
under the armed attack of the newly-born Confederacy. That event drove
away as by magic the uncertainty of the North, and removed the last
vestiges of Southern doubt. A great wave of militant patriotism