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Cherham Place, March 7 —
1864
My dear Lord,
I am quite ready to adopt the
form of dispatch you propose —
But I confess I see no danger
in admitting to the American Govt
that which is notorious to all
the world namely that the
Alabama was intended for a
vessel of war — was order'd by
the Confederate Govt — was partly
equipped here — evaded the
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operation of our laws - & has
acted over time as a Confederate
Cruiser.
In my view the only
question is whether we acted
[good faith ?] in execution of
our municipal law — whether
we had due diligence - &
were only defeated by the
subtlety & cunning of those
who have lost in defeating
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the law. On these points we are
clearly in the right, & we have
no indemnity to pay — But we
cannot deny what has been
proved by our own Law Officers
in our own Courts of Justice.
I must ask you to satisfy
the Law Officers before I
begin the altered dispatch.
Yours truly
Russell
Might we know the [illegible] for [Logan's ?]
information
