can a Government [the American] elected but a few months since by the popular choice, depending exclusively for existence on popular support, afford to disappoint the popular expectation?
The answer to this question must, we fear, be in the negative...." The _Post_ (thereby Palmerston ?) did indeed, as later charged, "prolong the excitement," but not with its earlier animosity to America.

The very fact that the _Post_ was accepted as Palmerston's organ justified this attitude for it would have been folly for the Government to announce prematurely a result of which there was as yet no definite assurance.

Yet _within_ the Cabinet there was a more hopeful feeling.

Argyll believed Adams' statement to Russell of December 19 was practically conclusive[466], and Adams himself now thought that the prevalent idea was waning of an American plan to inflict persistent "indignities" on Britain: "at least in this case nothing of the kind had been intended[467]." Everyone wondered at and was vexed with the delay of an answer from America, yet hopefully believed that this indicated ultimate yielding.

There could be no surety until the event.