Washington, inside the governmental building
Secretary of State Saffar reported with furrowed brows, "Mr. President, the current situation is highly unfavorable to us. The Southern Government has drawn the support of the four countries including the UK, France, Austria, and Spain through cotton diplomacy, and international public opinion has become one-sided."
It wasn't that Saffar wasn't trying hard enough; it was simply that the enemy was too powerful. Ever since the Southern Government promised to abolish slavery in the future, this Civil War had transformed into a dispute over tariffs.
The so-called righteousness of the Northern Government was deemed worthless by public opinion. The blame lies with the U.S. Constitution, which provided a legal basis for Southern independence.
