It will be remembered that in his first instruction to Lyons on the Declaration of Paris Russell had directed that Bunch, at Charleston, be commissioned to seek a Southern official acceptance of the binding force of the second and third articles, but that Lyons and Mercier, fearing Seward’s irritation, had hesitated to proceed in the matter.  Later Russell had recalled his instructions, but before this recall could reach Lyons the latter had decided to act[347].  On July 5 Lyons gave explicit directions to Bunch not to approach the Confederate Government directly, but to go to Governor Pickens of South Carolina and explain the matter to him verbally, adding “you should act with great caution, in order to avoid raising the question of the recognition of the new Confederation by Great Britain.”  Unfortunately Lyons also wrote, “I am authorized by Lord John Russell to confide the negotiation on this matter to you,” thus after all implying that a real negotiation with the South was being undertaken.  On the same day Mercier sent similar instructions to St. Andre, the French Acting-Consul at Charleston[348].  Bunch received Lyons’ official letter on July 19[349], together with a private one of July 5, emphasizing that Bunch was to put nothing in writing, and that he and his French colleagues were to keep the names of Lyons and Mercier out of any talk, even, about the matter.  Bunch was to talk as if his instructions came directly from Russell.  Lyons hoped the South would be wise enough not to indulge in undue publicity, since if “trumpeted” it might elicit “by such conduct some strong disavowal from France and England.”  Both the official and the private letter must, however, have impressed Bunch with the idea that this was after all a negotiation and that he had been entrusted with it[350].

Bunch, whose early reports had been far from sympathetic with the Southern cause, had gradually, and quite naturally from his environment, become more friendly to it[351].  He now acted with promptness and with some evident exultation at the importance given him personally.  In place of Governor Pickens an experienced diplomat, William Henry Trescott, was approached by Bunch and Belligny, who, not St. Andre, was then the French agent at Charleston[352].  Trescott went directly to President Davis, who at once asked why the British proposal had not been made through the Confederate Commissioners in London, and who somewhat unwillingly yielded to Trescott’s urging.  On August 13 the Confederate Congress resolved approval of the Declaration of Paris except for the article on privateering[353].  Bunch took great pride in the secrecy observed.  “I do not see how any clue is given to the way in which the Resolutions have been procured....  We made a positive stipulation that France and England were not to be alluded to in the event of the compliance of the Confederate Govt.[354],” he wrote Lyons on August 16.  But he failed to take account either of the penetrating