le moment. On Lyons the effect of the
adventure to Richmond was just the reverse of this; and on Russell also
its influence was to cause some doubt of Southern success. Appended to
Lyons' report stands Russell's initialled comment:

"It is desirable to know what is the Interior to which the
Southern Confederates propose if beaten to retire. If in Arms
they will be pursued, if not in Arms their discontent will
cause but little embarrassment to their Conquerors. But can
the country be held permanently by the U.S. Armies if the
Confederates have small bodies in Arms resisting the
authority of the U.S. Congress?

Any facts shewing the strength or weakness of the Union
feeling in the South will be of great value in forming a
judgment on the final issue."

Seward, in conversation with Lyons, had said that to avoid public
misconceptions a newspaper statement would be prepared on Mercier's
trip. This appeared May 6, in the New York _Times_, the paper more
closely Seward's "organ" than any other throughout the war, representing
Mercier as having gone to Richmond by order of Napoleon and with
Lincoln's approval to urge the Confederates to surrender and to
encourage them to expect favourable terms. Lyons commented on this
article that the language attributed to Mercier was "not very unlike
that which he intended to hold," but that in fact he had not used
it[603]. Nor had Napoleon ordered the move. Indeed everyone in London
and Paris was much astonished, and many were the speculations as to the
meaning of Mercier's unusual procedure. Russell was puzzled, writing
"Que diable allait il faire dans cette galere[604]?" and Cowley, at
Paris, could give no light, being assured by Thouvenel on first rumours
of Mercier's trip to Richmond that "he had not a notion that this could
be true[605]." May 1, Cowley wrote, "The whole thing is inexplicable
unless the Emperor is at the bottom of it, which Thouvenel thinks is not
the case[606]." The next day Thouvenel, having consulted Napoleon, was
assured by the latter that "he could not account for Monsieur Mercier's
conduct, and that he greatly regretted it," being especially disturbed
by a seeming break in the previous "complete harmony with the British
Representative" at Washington[607]. This was reassuring to Russell, yet
there is no question that Mercier's conduct long left a certain
suspicion in British official circles. On May 2, also, Thou