constantly in the receipt of letters and communications from people of all clases who express their earliest desire nto to have their country enlisted even in the most indirect mode in a war which will sustain the slave-holding system in the Southern States. A conviction of the danger of this will keep them sensibly alive to the moment of parties interested in bringing about that end. But in this policy they must be aided by some corresponding adaptation of opinion among us.

I am in hopes that we may by co-operation be enabled to meet with more force the effors that will undoubtedly be set in motion before long to procure a withdrawal of the blocade and perhaps a recognition of the insurgents. Should Parliament be assembled in a few days I shall have an opportunity to watch and to expose the operations that will follow. I say this always reserving the contingency wherein I may be requeired to vacate my position at this court, which at this moment I think less likely than I did.

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

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

WASHINGTON, January 3, 1862. (Received 16th.)

[Earl RUSSELL, London.]

MY LORD: The telegraphic dispatches in the newspaper of this morning annouce that Mr. Mason, Mr. Slidell and their two companions sailed from Provincetown on board Her Majesty's ship Rinaldo at 5 o'clock the day before yesterday. I have no other inteligence of their departure, but I do not doubt that the newspaper accounts are correct.

No excitement appears to have been apparent either at Provincetown or at Boston.

I have, &c.,

LYONS.

FOREIGN OFFICE, [London,] January 4, 1862.

[Lord LYONS, Washington.]

MY LORD: On Thursday last Count Brandenburg called upon me at the Foreign Office and read to me a dispatch of Count Bernstorff on the subject of the Trent affair.

The Prussian Government unequivocally condemn the conduct of Captain Wilkes, and express a hope that the President of the United States will comply with the propasals of Her Majesty's Government.

I will sent you by the next a copy of this dispatch.

At a later hour Baron Brunnow called upon me and read me an extract of a letter from Prine Gortchakoff equally positive in condemnation of Captain Wilkes and equally confident of the justice of our request for reparation.

I am, &c.,

RUSSELL.

WASHINGTON, January 6, 1862. (Received 20th.)

[Earl RUSSELL, London.]

MY LORD: I have the honor to inclose the copy of a dispatch which I received the day before yesterday from Commander Hewett informing