ation to maintain secession had in the last few weeks
become clearly recognized.

Moreover the latest information sent by British officials in America,
some of it received just before the issue of the Proclamation of
Neutrality, some just after, was all confirmative of the rapid approach
of a great war. A letter from Bunch, at Charleston, was received on May
10, depicting the united Southern will to resist Northern attack, and
asserting that the South had no purpose save to conduct a strictly
defensive war. Bunch was no longer caustic; he now felt that a new
nation was in process of birth[159]. May 4, Monson, writing from
Washington, and just returned from a trip through the South, in the
course of which he had visited Montgomery, stated "_no reconstruction_
of the Union is possible," and added that there was no danger of a
servile insurrection, a matter that now somewhat began to disturb the
British Government and public[160]. A few days later on, May 12, Lyons
expressed his strong sympathy with the North for reasons of
anti-slavery, law, and race, but added that he shrank from expressions
of sympathy for fear of thus encouraging the Northern Cabinet in its
plan of prosecuting civil war since such a war would be frightful in its
consequences both to America and to England[161].

Such reports if received before the issue of the Proclamation of
Neutrality must have strengthened the feeling that prompt action was
necessary; if received later, they gave confidence that that action had
been wise. May 9, Forster asked in the Commons a series of questions as
to the application of the British Foreign Enlistment Act in the American
crisis. What would be the status of British citizens serving on
Confederate privateers? How would the Government treat citizens who
aided in equipping such privateers? Did not the Government intend to
take measures to prevent the infringement of law in British ports? Here
was pressure by a friend of the North to hasten an official announcement
of the policy already notified to Parliament. Sir George Lewis replied
stating that the Government was about to issue a general proclamation
warning British subjects not to take any part in the war[162]. Similar
questions were asked by Derby in the Lords on May 10, and received a
similar answer[163]. The few days' delay following Russell's statement
of May 6 was due to consideration given by the Law Officers to the exact
form required. The Proclamation as issu