| Summary: | This collection consists of a letter, dated March 7, 1864, from British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs John Russell, Earl Russell, to an unidentified fellow lord. The letter addresses the question of how the British foreign ministry should deal with the United States government’s questions regarding the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama being built and equipped in Great Britain.[page 1]
Cherham Place, March 7 —
1864
My dear Lord,
I am quite ready to adopt the
form of dispatch you propose —
But I confess I see no danger
in admitting to the American Govt
that which is notorious to all
the world namely that the
Alabama was intended for a
vessel of war — was order'd by
the Confederate Govt — was partly
equipped here — evaded the
[page 2]
operation of our laws - & has
acted over time as a Confederate
Cruiser.
In my view the only
question is whether we acted
[good faith ?] in execution of
our municipal law — whether
we had due diligence - &
were only defeated by the
subtlety & cunning of those
who have lost in defeating
[page 3]
the law. On these points we are
clearly in the right, & we have
no indemnity to pay — But we
cannot deny what has been
proved by our own Law Officers
in our own Courts of Justice.
I must ask you to satisfy
the Law Officers before I
begin the altered dispatch.
Yours truly
Russell
Might we know the [illegible] for [Logan's ?]
information
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