Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: Your despatches, Nos. 359, 361, 362, and 363, as well as your circular of the 16th of June, are duly received. Despatch No. 360 has not yet come to hand.
There has nothing of special interest occurred here within the last few days. The view taken by the English press of the visit of Messrs. Roebuck and Lindsay to the Emperor you will have seen fully stated in their own journals. Mr. Lindsay, it is said, will endeavor to sustain his colleague by a written memorandum of the conversation with the Emperor, made at the time, but it will not at all help them in the House of Commons. It may raise a question of veracity between these parties and his Majesty, but it will have no influence on the action of the House, unless it may be injurious to the purposes of the confederates. Mr. Evarts, who has recently come over from London, reports that our friends there have no fears as to the result of the motion for recognition. Indeed, it is scarcely believed by them that it will be permitted by the movers to come to a vote. I am assured here, too, from a source that is entirely reliable, “that the motion will be scouted,” &c. Notwithstanding all this, the news from the United States is such as to give me the greatest anxiety. If the apathy of Pennsylvania and the feeling of the democratic party are such as is described, I see no reason why the confederates may not establish themselves in the heart of that State, or, indeed, why they may not drive you from the city of Washington. It has been hard enough heretofore to prevent their recognition by foreign governments, and, should Lee succeed in his campaign, destroy Hooker’s army and take Washington, you can foresee the probable, and perhaps immediate, results abroad. I can well understand why the governing and privileged classes of the Old World, who dislike our institutions, should wish to see us broken to pieces; but why any class of intelligent men of our own country should stand by and witness calmly such a result I cannot understand.
Mr. Harvey, from Lisbon, and Mr. Blatchford, from Rome, are here. Mr. Blatchford is about to return for a short time, at all events, to the United States.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.