draft submitted by Seward
to Lincoln[210].

Seward's draft was not merely a "remonstrance"; it was a challenge. Its
language implied that the United States desired war, and Seward's plan
was to have Adams read the despatch to Russell, give him a copy of it,
and then discontinue diplomatic relations so long as Russell held either
official or unofficial intercourse with the Southern Commissioners. This
last instruction was, indeed, retained in the final form of the
despatch, but here, as elsewhere, Lincoln modified the stiff expressions
of the original. Most important of all, he directed Adams to consider
the whole despatch as for his own guidance, relying on his discretion.
The despatch, as amended, began with the statement that the United
States "neither means to menace Great Britain nor to wound the
sensibilities of that or any other European nation.... The paper itself
is not to be read or shown to the British Secretary of State, nor any of
its positions to be prematurely, unnecessarily, or indiscreetly made
known. But its spirit will be your guide[211]." Thus were the teeth
skilfully drawn from the threat of war. Even the positive instructions,
later in the despatch, as to the Southern Commissioners, need not have
been acted upon by Adams had he not thought it wise to do so. But even
with alterations, the American remonstrance was so bold as to alarm
Adams. On first perusual he wrote in his diary, June 10, "The Government
seems almost ready to declare war with all the powers of Europe, and
almost instructs me to withdraw from communication with the Ministers
here in a certain contingency.... I scarcely know how to understand Mr.
Seward. The rest of the Government may be demented for all I know; but
he surely is calm and wise. My duty here is in so far as I can do it
honestly to prevent the irritation from coming to a downright quarrel.
It seems to me like throwing the game into the hands of the enemy[212]."

Adams, a sincere admirer of Seward, was in error as to the source of
American belligerent attitude. Fortunately, his judgment of what was
wise at the moment coincided with that of Lincoln's--though of this he
had no knowledge. In the event Adams' skilful handling of the situation
resulted favourably--even to the cessation of intercourse between
Russell and the Southern Commissioners. For his part, Lincoln, no more
than earlier, was to be hurried into foreign complications, and Seward's
"foreign war panacea" was