Bunch was no longer caustic; he now felt that a new nation was in process of birth[159].

May 4, Monson, writing from Washington, and just returned from a trip through the South, in the course of which he had visited Montgomery, stated "_no reconstruction_ of the Union is possible," and added that there was no danger of a servile insurrection, a matter that now somewhat began to disturb the British Government and public[160].

A few days later on, May 12, Lyons expressed his strong sympathy with the North for reasons of anti-slavery, law, and race, but added that he shrank from expressions of sympathy for fear of thus encouraging the Northern Cabinet in its plan of prosecuting civil war since such a war would be frightful in its consequences both to America and to England[161].
Such reports if received before the issue of the Proclamation of Neutrality must have strengthened the feeling that prompt action was necessary; if received later, they gave confidence that that action had been wise.

May 9, Forster asked in the Commons a series of questions as to the application of the British Foreign Enlistment Act in the American crisis.

What would be the status of British citizens serving on Confederate privateers?
How would the Government treat citizens who aided in equipping such privateers?
Did not the Government intend to take measures to prevent the infringement of law in British ports?
Here was pressure by a friend of the North to hasten an official announcement of the policy already notified to Parliament.