as well to look up a case which has been mentioned to me here but which I have not the facilities to examine on this side of the water. It is that of Mr. Edward Wyer, bearer of dispatches to Mr. Adams at Saint Petersburg, believed to be in 1812, who was taken out of a Swedish vessel to far out of Boston by a British frigate. This fact could be easily verfied by reference to the Boston newspapers of the period.

As not a single word has yet been communicated to me officailly or otherwise respecting the views of the Government in regard to this most unfortunate affair I am placed in a preidicament almost as awkward as if I had not been commissioned here at all. Indeed I perceive in some of the French newspapers that advantage has been taken of the fact to intimate that my conciliatory policy does not represent the true sentiments of the Government. Of course this absurd story makes no impression on me, but as everything that creates prejudice against the Government is greedily caught up here the effect is to impair the usefulness of any action I may take as its representative. I would therefore respectfully suggest the expediency of keeping me as early and as fully informed of the course of things, so far as it concerns the relations of the Government, at Washington as Lord Lyons does the Government here. The importance of this may be seen in the case of Mr. Bunch, when both Lord Palmerson and Earl Russell had a complete advantage over me in the knowledge of what had actually been done at home.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, December 11, 1861.

His Excellency WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c.

SIR: I inclosed you by the dispatch bag yesterday a copy of The Constitutionnel* countaining an article (marked) of a very obnoxious character. The artcle as you will observe if you have had time to look it over advocates the policy of France making common cause with England against us. It looks likewise ognition by France and Great Britain of the South as an independent power. The Constitutionnel is understood here to have a semi-official character.

* * * * * * *

I have the honor to be, with much respect, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM L. DAYTON.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

London, December 12, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington.

SIR: The difficulty growing out of the case of the Trent continues the uppermost subject in all minds. Although many of the leading presses indulge in loud boasts of the extreme facility with which the matter will be disposed of by arms, the great fall in the price of stocks and the rise in the rates of insurance are significant indications of the uneasiness of public opinion that lies beneath. The deprecation of war is quite general among the religious classes and especially the Dissenters. The

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*Not found.

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