be at
liberty to say that, as the Bill stands, the executive Government will
be set at liberty to put the law in force in its discretion, and that
thus far the proper policy in regard to the exercise of that discretion
has not engaged the President's attention. I have had little hesitation
in saying to Lord Lyons that if no extreme circumstances occur, there
will be entire frankness on the part of the Government in communicating
to him upon the subject, so far as to avoid any surprise on the part of
friendly nations, whose commerce or navigation it might be feared would
be incidentally and indirectly affected, if it shall be found expedient
to put the Act in force against the insurgents of the United
States[982]."

Certainly this was vague explanation, yet though the main object might
be asserted "to put the act in force against the insurgents," the hint
was given that the commerce of friendly neutrals might be "incidentally
and indirectly affected." And so both Lyons and Seward understood the
matter, for on February 24, Lyons reported a long conversation with
Seward in which after pointing out the probable "bad effect" on Europe,
Lyons received the reply that some remedy must be found for the fact
that "the law did not appear to enable the British Government to
prevent" the issue of Confederate "privateers[983]." On March 8, Seward
followed this up by sending to Lyons an autograph letter:

"I am receiving daily such representations from our sea-ports
concerning the depredations on our commerce committed by the
vessels built and practically fitted out in England, that I
do most sincerely apprehend a new element is entering into
the unhappy condition of affairs, which, with all the best
dispositions of your Government and my own, cannot long be
controlled to the preservation of peace.

"If you think well of it, I should like that you should
confidentially inform Earl Russell that the departure of more
armed vessels under insurgent-rebel command from English
ports is a thing to be deprecated above all things."

On March 9th, Lyons had a long talk with Seward about this, and it
appears that Lincoln had seen the letter and approved it. Seward stated
that the New York Chamber of Commerce had protested about the _Alabama_,
declaring:

"That no American merchant vessels would get freights--that
even war with England was preferable to this--that in that