THE FENIAN MOVEMENT 211 



Much soreness and irritation was engendered in England by this 

 attitude of the United States toward the Fenians and there was great 

 dissatisfaction, so Adams reported, 1 with what looked like mere sluggish- 

 ness on the part of the British government in not making representations 

 and remonstrances to the American government regarding their attitude 

 of passive assistance to the Fenian Brotherhood at a time when the 

 Brotherhood was pouring both men and money into the Emerald Isle. 

 But the British authorities were fully conscious of the awkwardness of 

 making such remonstrances in the face of all that had happened during 

 the Civil War, so satisfied themselves with a note of hearty thanks for 

 the vigorous way in which the United States suppressed the invasion into 

 Canada. 2 



But it was during the awful turmoil in Ireland of March, 1867, that 

 the United States authorities revealed most clearly their determination 

 to foster the Fenian conspiracy until England should come to terms on 

 the vexed Alabama affair. It was on March 27 that the House passed 

 the four resolutions spoken of above, all of which were framed to reveal 

 the peaceful attitude of the House toward the Fenians and its belligerent 

 attitude toward Great Britain. On the next day Seward wrote Adams 3 

 that there "are unmistakable indications that the sentiments which 

 controlled the action of the House of Representatives are now gaining 

 favor in the other branch of Congress." He referred to Lord Stanley's 

 proposition to arbitrate the Alabama claims, technical definitions being 

 first agreed upon, and averred that in that form his offer could not be 

 accepted. With this assertion he turns significantly to the discus- 

 sion of affairs in Ireland, saying in part: 



I assume it to be possible that somewhere and at some time a seditious party in Ire- 

 land may proclaim an organized insurrection with a show of delegated authority from 

 some portions of the Irish people. Such a proceeding is intensely expected by many citizens 

 of the United States. That expectation excites a profound sympathy among adopted 

 citizens of Irish birth and their descendants. It is equally manifest that the sympathy 

 of the whole American people goes with such movements, for the reason that there is a 

 habitual jealousy of British proximity across our northern border, and especially for the 

 reason that this nation indulges a profound sense that it sustained great injury from the 

 sympathy extended in Great Britain to the rebels during our Civil War. 



1 Diplomatic Correspondence, 1868, Vol. I, p. 74. 



* Correspondence Relating to the Fenian Invasion, p. 144. 



3 Diplomatic Correspondence, 1867, Vol. I, p. 75. 



