aring
your answer, which, as I understood it, will state the reasons why they
ought to be given up. Now, I have a mind to try my hand at stating the
reasons why they ought _not_ to be given up. We will compare the points
on each side." Lincoln's idea was, in short, to return an answer to
Great Britain, proposing arbitration (Bancroft, _Seward_, II, 234).]

[Footnote 473: Mass. Hist. Soc. _Proceedings_, XLV, 155. Bright to
Sumner, Dec. 14, 1861. The letters to Sumner on the _Trent_ are all
printed in this volume of the _Proceedings_. The originals are in the
_Sumner Papers_ in the library of Harvard University.]

[Footnote 474: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1862, _Lords_, Vol. XXV.
"Correspondence respecting the _Trent_." No. 24. Lyons to Russell, Dec.
27, 1861.]

[Footnote 475: F.O., Am., Vol. 777. No. 807. Lyons to Russell, Dec. 31,
1861. But he transmitted a few days later, a "shocking prayer" in the
Senate on December 30, by the Rev. Dr. Sutherland, which showed a bitter
feeling. "O Thou, just Ruler of the world ... we ask help of Thee for
our rulers and our people, that we may patiently, resolutely, and with
one heart abide our time; for it is indeed a day of darkness and
reproach--a day when the high principle of human equity constrained by
the remorseless sweep of physical and armed force, must for the moment,
succumb under the plastic forms of soft diplomacy" (Russell Papers.
Lyons to Russell, Jan. 3, 1862).]

[Footnote 476: Bancroft, _Seward_, II, 249-53.]

[Footnote 477: C.F. Adams, _The Trent Affair. (Proceedings_, Mass. Hist.
Soc., XLV. p. 75).]

[Footnote 478: Bancroft, _Seward_, II, 250.]

[Footnote 479: Mason, Slidell, Eustis and McFarland were delivered to
the British ship _Rinaldo_, January 1, 1862. _En route_ to Halifax the
ship encountered a storm that drove her south and finally brought her to
St. Thomas, where the passengers embarked on a packet for Southampton.]

[Footnote 480: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1862, _Lords_, Vol. XXV.
"Correspondence respecting the _Trent_." Nos. 27 and 35. February 3,
Lyons reported that Sumner, in a fireside talk, had revealed that he was
in possession of copies of the Law Officers' opinions given on November
12 and 28 respectively. Lyons was astounded and commented that the Law
Officers, before giving any more opinions, ought to know this fact
(F.O., Am., Vol. 824. No. 76. Lyons to Russell).]

[Footnote 481: F.O., France, Vol. 1399. No. 1397. Cowley to Russell,
Dec.