The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-13 00:00:00

its first organisation, has never used more guarded
language in a similar case.
In coming to my conclusion, I have not forgotten
that if the safety of this Union required the deten-
tion of the captured persons, it would be the right
and duty of this Government to detain them. But
the effectual check and waning proportions of the
existing insurrection, as well as the comparative
unimportance of the captured persons themselves,
when dispassionately weighed, happily forbid me
from resorting to that defence.

Nor am I unaware that American citizens are not
in any case to be unnecessarily surrendered for any
purpose into the keeping of a foreign State. Only
the captured persons, however, or others who are
interested in them, could justly raise a question on
that ground.
Nor have I been tempted at all by suggestions
that cases might be found in history where Great
Britain refused to yield to other nations, and even
to ourselves, claims like that which is now before
us. Those cases occurred when Great Britain, as
well as the United States, was the home of genera-
tions which, with all their peculiar interests and
passions, have passed away. She could in no other
way so effectually disavow any such inquiries as
we think she does now, by assuming as her own the
grounds upon which we stood.

It would tell little for our claims to the character
of a just and magnanimous people, if we should so
far consent to be guided by the law of retaliation as
to lift up buried injuries from their graves, to op-
pose against what national consistency and the
national conscience compel us to regard as a claim
intrinsically right.
Putting behind me all suggestions of this kind, I
prefer to express my satisfaction that by the adjust-
ment of the present case upon principles confessed
by Americans, and yet, as I trust, mutually satis-
factory to both of the nations concerned, a question
is finally and rightly settled between them which,
heretofore exhausting not only all forms of peaceful
discussion, but also the arbitrament of war itself, for
more than half a century alienated the two coun-
tries from each other, and perplexed with fears and
apprehensions all other nations.
The four prisoners in question are now held in
military custody. at Fort Warren, in the State of
Massachusetts. They will be cheerfully liberated.
Your lordship will please indicate a time and
place for receiving them.
I avail myself of this occasion to offer to your
Lordship a renewed assurance of my very high
consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

LORD LYONS TO MR. SEWARD.

Washington, Dec. 27, 1861.

Sir—l have this morning received the note which
you did me the honour to address to me yesterday,
in answer to Earl Russell's despatch of the 30th of
November last relative to the removal of Mr. Mason,
Mr. Slidell, Mr. M'Farland, and Mr. Eustis, from
the British mail packet Trent. I will, without any
loss of time, forward to her Majesty's Government
a copy of the important communication which you
have made to me.

I will also, without delay, do myself the honour
to confer with you personally on the arrangements
to be made for delivering the four gentlemen to me
in order that they may again be placed under the
protection of the British flag.—l have the honour to
be, with the highest consideration, Sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,

The Hon. William H. Seward, &e.

LYONS.

THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT ON THE CASE.
MR. SEWARD TO M. MERCIER IN REPLY TO M.

THOUVENEL.

Department of State, Washington, Dec. 27, 1861.
Sir,—l have submitted to the President the
copy you were so good as to give me of a despatch
addressed to you on the 3d of Dec. inst, concerning
the recent proceedings of Captain Wilkes, in arrest-
ing certain persons ou board of the British contract
mail steamer Trent.

Before receiving the paper, however, the Presi-
dent had decided upon the disposition to be made of
the subject which has caused so much anxiety in
Europe. That dispcsition of the subject, I think,
renders unnecessary any discussion of it, in reply
to the comments of M. Thouvenel.

lam permitted, however, to say that M. Thou-
venel has not been in error in supposing first, that
the Government of the United States has not acted
in any spirit of disregard of the rights or of the
sensibilities of the British nation, and that he is
equally just in assuming that the United States
would consistently vindicate, by their practice on
this occasion, the character they have so long
maintained as an advocate of the most liberal prin-
cirles of neutral States in maritime war.
When the French Government shall come to see
at large the views of this Government and those
of the Government of Great Britain on the subject
now in question, and to compare them with the
views expressed by M. Thouvenel on the part of
France, it will probably perceive that, while it must
be admitted that these three powers are equally im-
pressed with the same desire for the establishment
of principles favourable to neutral rights, there is
at the same time not such an entire agreement con-
cerning the application of those principles as is
desirable to secure that important object.

The Government of the United States will be
happy if the occasion which has elicited this corre-
spondence can be improved so as to secure a more
definite agreement upon the whole subject by all
maritime Powers.
You will assure M. Thouvenel that this Govern-
ment appreciates as well the frankness of hie ex-
planations as the spirit of friendship and goodwill to-
wards the United States in which theyare expressed.

It is a sincere pleasure for the United States to
exchange assurances of a friendship which had its
origin in associations the most sacred in the history
of both countries.

I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you
Sir, the assurance of my high consideration.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
Monsieur Henry Mercier, &c.

NEW YORK, DEC. 29.

(PER TEUTONJA via SOUTHAMPTON.)

The decision arrived at by the Government to
restore Messrs. Mason and Slidell, and their secre-
taries, had a very favourable effect on the public
mind in this city yesterday. It removed a load of
care from men's spirits, and restored a degree of
elasticity which was noticeable in every department
of trade. The public pulse beat more evenly than
it bas done for the last five or six weeks. The
Stock Exchange felt the influence, and gave evi-
dence of it in an advance in the price of Govern-
ment securities, and a general movement in stocks.
Even those who held that the action of Commodore
Wilkes was legal and justifiable felt gratified that
the Administration entertained a somewhat diffe-
rent idea, and that it found a mode of postponing
war without subjecting the nation to humiliation
and disgrace.
The New York Herald of to-day says :
" All prospects of a war with England are
brought to an end by the decision of the Cabinet
to surrender the persons of Messrs. Mason and
Slidell to the protection of the British flag, from
under which they were taken by Commander
Wilkes. Mr. Seward, in the masterly document
he has addressed to Lord Lyons, and in the sagacious
instructions he transmitted to our Minister in Lon-
don, on the 30th of November last, upon this sub-
ject, has taken so clear, comprehensive, and unob-
jectionable a view of the entire affair, its legal
bearing and the position which this country has
always assumed upon the question of neutral
rights, as to leave no point open for cavil either at
home or with foreign Governments. This difficulty
being settled, the Government now finds itself free
and unembarrassed to carry out with energy its
crusade against the Southern rebellion, which Mr.
Seward declares can be crushed out within ninety
days after the hops of recognition by foreign
Powers are extinguished. The result is looked
upon in Washington with the utmost satisfaction,
as depriving the rebels of much strength, which
they would certainly have acquired in case of a
war with England and France, and also a com-
plete vindication of American policy established by
Madison, and since always resolutely contended
for. At the dinner given yesterday by the Seere-