ation
of its tone except upon the ground that Lord John Russell saw in
a possible reconciliation, between North and South, something that
threatened the interest or jarred upon the sympathy of the British
Government. It was at least sufficient and ominous warning of what
the United States might expect from "the confidence and affection"
which had only a few weeks before been outpoured so lavishly by
Her Majesty's Government. The fact is worthy of emphasis that
since the cordial interchange of notes touching the visit of the
Prince of Wales there had not been a single word of unkindness in
the correspondence of the two governments. But our embarrassments
had been steadily deepening, and according to many precedents in
the career of that illustrious statesman, Lord John seems to have
considered the period of our distress a fitting time to assert that
"British forbearance springs from the consciousness of strength
and not from the timidity of weakness."

On the 4th of March, 1861, the administration of Mr. Lincoln assumed
the responsibility of government. At that date the organization
of the Southern Confederacy had not been perfected. Four States
which ultimately joined it had not yet seceded from the Union.
There had been no overt act of violence. The Administration still
believed in the possibility of a peaceful settlement. But on the
12th of April Fort Sumter was attacked. On the 14th it was
surrendered. On the 15th the President issued his Proclamation
calling out seventy-five thousand militia and summoning Congress
to meet on the 4th of July. On the 17th the President of the
Confederacy authorized the issue of letters of marque. On the 19th
the President of the United States proclaimed a blockade of the
Southern ports and declared that privateers with letters of marque
from the Southern Confederacy would be treated as pirates.

This condition of affairs rendered the relation of foreign powers
to the Union and to the Confederacy at once urgent and critical.
It is true that Fort Sumter had surrendered to a warlike demonstration,
but fortunately no blood had been shed. It is true that letters
of marque had been authorized, but none had been actually issued.
It is true that a blockade had been proclaimed, but some time must
elapse before it could be practically enforced. All that can be
said is that the rebellion had organized itself with promptness
and courage for a conflict. There was still a pause.