The _Times_ editorial just quoted appeared when the faith was generally professed that Lee was about to end the war through the invasion of Pennsylvania.

In the reaction created by the arrival of the news of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, Adams still again warned his Government against either a belligerent or interfering attitude toward Great Britain, but stated plainly that Northern victory was of supreme importance in Europe itself.

"We have a mission to fulfill.

It is to show, by our example to the people of England in particular, and to all nations in general, the value of republican institutions." There was still a general belief in the incompetency of those institutions.

"The greatest triumph of all would be to prove these calculations vain.