frankly replied that he was glad to be relieved of the necessity of
declining to go and was sorry Mercier was determined to proceed since
this certainly looked like a break in "joint policy," and he objected
positively on the same ground to Stoeckl's going[596]. Mercier yielded
the latter point, but argued that by informing Seward of his
consultation with Lyons, which he proposed doing, the former objection
would be obviated. Finding that Mercier "was bent on going," Lyons
thought it best not to object too much and confined his efforts to
driving home the idea that no opening should be given for a "separate
agreement" with the South.

"I therefore entered with him into the details of his plans,
and made some suggestions as to his language and conduct. I
said that one delusion which he might find it desirable to
remove from the minds of men in the South, was that it would
be possible to inveigle France or any other great European
Power into an exclusive Alliance with them. I had reason to
believe that some of them imagine that this might be effected
by an offer of great commercial privileges to one Power, to
the exclusion of others. I hardly supposed that Mr. Jefferson
Davis himself, or men of his stamp could entertain so foolish
a notion, but still it might be well to eradicate it from any
mind in which it had found place[597]."

Lyons saw Mercier "two or three times" between the tenth and fourteenth
and on the twelfth spoke to Seward about the trip, "without saying
anything to lead him to suppose that I had any objection to it." This
was intended to preserve the impression of close harmony with France,
and Lyons wrote, "I consider that the result of my communications with
M. Mercier entitles him to say that he makes his journey to Richmond
with my acquiescence[598]." Nevertheless he both believed, and declared
to Mercier, that the views expressed on Southern weakening of
determination were wholly erroneous, and that neither North nor South
was ready for any efforts, still less mediation, looking toward peace.
He prophesied failure of Mercier's avowed hopes. His prophecy proved
well founded. On April 28 Lyons reported Mercier's account to him of the
results of the journey. Mercier returned to Washington on April 24,
reported at once to Seward the results of his trip, and on the same day
called on Lyons. Having conversed with Benjamin, the new Confederate
Sec