practice
in the journalistic art of facing about while claiming perfect
consistency. In denial of a Southern right of secession, also, they were
nearly a unit[46], though the _Saturday Review_ argued the case for the
South, making a pointed parallel between the present situation and that
of the American Colonies in seceding from England[47].

The quotations thus far made exhibit for the leading papers an initial
confusion and ignorance difficult to harmonize with the theory of an
"enlightened press." The Reviews, by the conditions of publication, came
into action more slowly and during 1860 there appeared but one article,
in the _Edinburgh Review_, giving any adequate idea of what was really
taking place in America[48]. The lesser British papers generally
followed the tone of the leading journals, but without either great
interest or much acumen. In truth the depth of British newspaper
ignorance, considering their positiveness of utterance, appears utterly
astonishing if regarded from the view-point of modern historical
knowledge. But is this, after all, a matter for surprise? Was there not
equal confusion at least, possibly equal ignorance, in America itself,
certainly among the press and people of the Northern States? They also
had come by experience to discount Southern threats, and were slow to
understand that the great conflict of ideals and interests was at
last begun.

The British press both influenced and reflected educated class opinion,
and, in some degree, official opinion as well. Lord John Russell at the
Foreign Office and Lord Lyons, British Minister at Washington, were
exchanging anxious letters, and the latter was sending home reports
remarkable for their clear analysis of the American controversy. Yet
even he was slow to appreciate the inevitability of secession.

[Illustration: LORD LYONS (_From a photograph taken at Boston, U.S.A.,
in 1860) (From Lord Newton's "Life of Lord Lyons," by kind permission_)]

Other officials, especially those in minor positions in the United
States, showed a lack of grasp of the situation similar to that of the
press. An amusing illustration of this, furnishing a far-fetched view of
causes, is supplied in a letter of February 2, 1860, from Consul Bunch,
at Charleston, S.C., to Lord Lyons, the British Minister at
Washington[49]. Bunch wrote describing a dinner which had been given the
evening before, by the Jockey Club of Charleston. Being called upon for
a speech, he