shington, so different was the point of view, Lyons
and Mercier were now convinced they could not let Seward know of the
proposal to be made to the South. They feared he would send them their
passports. Mercier in informal talk had explained to Seward his
instructions on the Declaration of Paris in so far as the North was
concerned. Lyons and Mercier now planned a joint visit and
representation to Seward--that which was actually attempted on June
15--but were decided to say nothing about the South, until they learned
the effect of this "joint proposal." F.O., Am., Vol. 765. No. 262. Lyons
to Russell, June 8, 1861.]

[Footnote 294: _Parliamentary Papers, 1862, Lords_, Vol. XXV.
"Correspondence respecting International Maritime Law." No. 10. Russell
to Grey, June 12, 1861.]

[Footnote 295: Stoeckl was writing his Government that the state to
which the negotiation had come was full of danger and might lead to a
serious quarrel. He thought Russia should keep out of it until results
were clearer. On this report Gortchakoff margined "C'est aussi mon
avis." (Russian Archives, Stoeckl to F.O., June 12-24, 1861. No. 1359.)]

[Footnote 296: F.O., Am., Vol. 766. No. 278.]

[Footnote 297: _Parliamentary Papers, 1862, Lords_, Vol. XXV.
"Correspondence respecting International Maritime Law." No. 14. Lyons to
Russell, June 17, 1861. "Recd. June 30." It was in this interview that
Lyons discovered Seward's misconception as to the position of the
proposed negotiation, and made clear to Seward that he had no
instructions to sign a convention.]

[Footnote 298: F.O., Am., Vol. 766. No. 284.]

[Footnote 299: Russell Papers. Lyons to Russell, June 18, 1861.]

[Footnote 300: _Ibid._, Lyons to Russell, June 21, 1861.]

[Footnote 301: _Parliamentary Papers_, 1862, _Lords_, Vol. XXV.
"Correspondence respecting International Maritime Law." No. 22. Writing
privately on the same day Lyons comments on Mercier's "extreme caution"
in his relations with Seward. Lyons implied that all this personal,
rather than official communication of documents to Seward was Mercier's
idea, and that he, Lyons, doubted the wisdom of this course, but had
agreed to it because of the desire to act in perfect harmony with
France. Russell Papers, Lyons to Russell, July 8, 1861.]

[Footnote 302: Lyons Papers.]

[Footnote 303: F.O., Am., Vol 756. No. 227. On this same day Russell was
writing privately to Edward Everett, in Boston, a clear statement of the
British p