The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-03 00:00:00

EVENING, DECEMBER 3, 1861.

calculated to forestall or embarrass the action of
our Government. If Great Britain demands the
liberation of these gentlemen, and reparation for
their capture, we propose to sustain such response
as our Government shall see fit to make. For it is
not possible to make such demand without in sub-
stance confessing that the right to search American
vessels for British seamen, and to take away those
who are adjudged such—which was the principal
cause of the war of 1812—has no foundation in
public law. If, then, the British Government sees
fit to confess that it was utterly wrong in every in-
stance wherein she searched our merchant ships for
those claimed as native-born subjects of the British
Crown—we trust our Government will stand ready
to deal wisely and generously with the venerable
penitent. She need not admit that she was wrong
in particularly flagrant instances, such as the attack
of the Leopard on the Chesapeake in 1808, and the
burning of the Caroline at Schlosser (one of our
docks) in the Niagara river, in 1838. If she is
ready now to establish and abide by any doctrine
on the general subject, we trust her proffers will be
received with distinguished consideration. But if
she chooses to be satisfied with British precedents
for the case immediately in hand, she can be sup-
plied with them to her heart's content. In either
case, the energy and decision of Cora. Wilkes has
secured a substantial triumph to our country."
The Boston Daily Advertiser contains a letter,
attributed to the lion. Edward Everett, in which
the legality of the act is affirmed. The National
Intelligencer defends Capt. Wilkes's proceeding as
a legal act. The .New York, World is jocose.
" Should England," it says—
" Following her custom of interpreting interna-
tional law to suit her own convenience, complain of
the insult offered to her flag by the San Jacinto,
two modes suggest themselves of disposing of the
prisoners taken from the Trent. Either they might
be landed by a national vessel at their respective
destinations, with whatever diplomatic dignity and
influence chanced to survive the ridicule of their
capture and release, or the Government might fol-
low in every point the precedent set in the case of
the Chesapeake and Leopard, by hanging its desert-
ing subjects first and making amends to the insulted
Power afterwards."

In another article it says :
" Great Britain is estopped, both by the decisions
of her Admiralty Courts and the practice of her
Government in numerous instances, from taking
offence at the arrest of the rebel ambassadors on
board one of her ships."
The New York Times is jubilant :

"We do not believe the American heart ever
thrilled with more genuine delight than it did yes-
terday, at the intelligence of the capture of Messrs
Slidell and Mason, recently of the Senate of the
United States, the most prominent and influential
actors in the rebellion, and on their way to Eng-
land and France, to represent the rebels at the
Courts of those countries. The capture of Beaufort
may have created a deeper and more lasting impres-
sion, from a consciousness of the important results
accomplished, but really no satisfaction is equal to
that experienced when base and treacherous knaves
meet their deserts. If we were to search the whole
rebeldom, no persons so justly obnoxious to the
North could have been found as those just caught.
Davis himself has some redeeming qualities ; Mason
and Slidell none. . . . These are the men whom we
have caught, and who are now safely caged. All
thanks to Captain Wilkes, who, consulting the
dictates of common sense alone, marched straight
to his object, unmindful of protests, convinced that
an act which every honest heart must approve could
not be contrary to usage and law. In this he was
perfectly correct. The only mistake he committed
was in not seizing the ship from which he dragged
the traitors. . . , We have not the slightest idea
that England will even remonstrate. On the con-
trary, she will applaud the gallant act of Lieut.
Wilkes, so full of spirit and good sense, and such
an exact imitation of the policy she has always
stoutly defended and invariably pursued. There is,
consequently, no drawback whatever to our jubila-
tions. The universal Yankee nation is getting
decidedly awake. . . . As for Commodore
Wilkes and his command, let the handsome thing
be done. Consecrate another Fourth of July to
him. Load him down with services of plate and
swords of the cunningest and costliest art. Let us
encourage the happy inspiration that achieved such
a victory. In this contest it is safe to adopt the
Irishman's advice to his son on leaving for a fair—
' When the music opens, whenever you se© a (rebel)
head, hit it A clear instinct is always in har•
mony with law."

In another article the New York Times says :
"But we must be prepared for a vehement party
clamour in England on this subject. It happens
that the American question is entering largely into
the domestic politics of John Bull. The Liberal
party in power has determined to keep the Govern-
ment absolutely aloof from the quarrel. It sees
nothing in the attitude, and thus far nothing in the
action of the American Government, to justify in-
terference in any form, even in the character of a
mediator; and persists in regarding the blockade
as legal, and, so long as legally maintained, as an
insuperable bar to the British greed of cotton. The
Conservative or Tory party, long in fruitless oppo-
sition, because through the adroit management of
Lord Palmerston left without an available issue upon
which to appeal to the country, believes itself to have
found that issue in the American policy of their
opponents. There is evidently a concerted action
among the Derbyite leaders to make fight upon
this question. We must be prepared, therefore, to
expect from the Tory party of England a chorus of
vociferous howls on the terrible outrage inflicted
upon the British flag. The action of Captain Wilkes
will be denounced in every possible variety of phrase;
and the most imperative demands w ill go up, from
every Tory organ and orator in the realm, for the
most signal and exemplary vindication of the out-
raged honour of the British flag. That this outcry
will test severely the strength and courage of the
Ministry we can easily believe. Their organs may
be compelled at the outset to make a show of yield-
ing to the pressure. But we take it for granted
that the recognised principles of international law
will speedily make themselves heard in this clamour
of contending parties, and that the Tories will meet
no better success is this than they have in so many
other attempts to oust their opponents from the
possession of power."
The same journal gives a report that when
Capt. Wilkes determined to arrest the Trent, he re-
marked " that he should do it, right or wrong, and
that at the worst he could only be cashiered."

On this the New Fork Times remarks :

"He need have no misgivings on the subject.
His action was prompt, energetic, and patriotic. If
Capt. Wilkes erred at all, it was in not seizing the
English ship which was found conveying these
rebel agents and their despatches, a flagrant viola-
tion of the neutrality enjoined upon her by the
English Government, and bringing her in for con-
fiscation as lawful prize. In view, however, of the
great service which he has rendered the country,
and of the fact that he acted without instructions,
we presume that both the Government and the
country will overlook this neglect on his part, and
will award him the highest possible praise for what
ho did."

The Few York, Shipping and Commercial List
remarks :

The business public, as well as the community
at large, have recently had occasion to congratulate
themselves upon the consummation of a highly
desirable and important though altogether unex-
pected event. Of course we refer to the capture of
the two Confederate Commissioners to England and
France, Alessrs. Mason and Slidell, together with
their secretaries and all their effects, by Captain
Wilkes, of the frigate San Jacinto, in the channel
of the Bahamas. The fact that they were forcibly
taken from an English vessel has occasioned much

PRICE..... -....4d.
STAMPED ....sd.

talk and no little anxiety among those who are
little versed in that most important of all laws, in-
ternational law. The daily press have not been
slow in finding a precedent in the history of Great
Britain, however, from which it would seem that
our British cousins cannot take umbrage at the ac-
tion of Captain Wilkes with any show of reason.
It is needless to inform our readers
that we can discover no just cause for apprehension,
for, though the seizure of Messrs. Mason and Slidell,
in the manner above stated, may, and doubtless
will, occasion some little stir among the advisers of
Qaeen Victoria, and call forth a fresh volley of vi-
tuperation from a portion of the British press, we
do not believe but that any trouble ,which may
arise therefrom may be readily adjusted by a little
skilful diplomacy. That the two most enlightened
and powerful countries in the world, which Great
Britain and the United States are universally accre-
dited, which are so closely united by fraternisation
and commercial intercourse, can be so readily
plunged into war with each other, seems altogether
incredible. We therefore incline to the belief that
despite the herculean efforts which a portion of the
so-called leading press of both countries is making
to bring about a war, the intercourse between Great
Britain and the United States will continue friendly,
and business continue to be prosecuted under the
same favourable circumstances as in years gone by."
Some of the New York journals ridicule the con-
duct of the Admiralty agent on board the Trent,
and assert that he went storming about the deck
with a pistol in his hand, breathing vengeance•; until
the American lieutenant ordered Captain Moir to
keep him quiet or remove him. It is also stated
that after their ;transfer to the San Jacinto the pri-
soners united in drawing up a statement of the facts
connected with their arrest, which they addressed to
Commodore Wilkes, and accompanied by a request
that it might be forwarded to the United States' Go-
vernment. Another statement is to the effect that
the New York detectives had seized a large number
of private letters, despatches, bills of exchange,
draughts, &c., which had been sent after Messrs.
Mason and Slidell, from Havannah to New York,
to follow them to Europe. _ _

Among other gossip from Washington, published
in the Tribune, we find the following :—_ _ _

" Lord Lyons has not behaved like a diplomatist
since the news that Mason and Slidell were on their
way to Fort Warren. Although necessarily silent
in his official capacity, unofficially he is almost im-
pertinent in his conversation. He assumes that
there can be no question between his Government
and ours, for the reason that the United States must
yield the point in controversy, will disavow the act
of Captain Wilkes, and must return Mason and Sli-
dell to the bosom of the only Power which seems
heartily to desire the dismemberment of this great
Republic. Edward Everett, Edward M. Stanton,
and Reverdy Johnson have expressed the opinion
that our right to take and keep Mason and Slidell
was unquestionable."
The Secretaries of War and State had agreed to
the demand of Lord Lyons, that British minors en-
listed in the American army should be returned to
their homes.

Messrs. Gwin, Benham, and Brant had been re-
arrested and sent to Fort Lafayette.
General Hunter had surrendered the command of
the Western Department to General Halleck, ac-
cording to the new arrangement of departments.
The large British steamer alleged to have been
taken into Key West was the Confederate steamer
Salvor.

Ex-President Buchanan was reported to be
writing a history of his political life and a vindica-
tion of his Administration, in which he was assisted
by ex-Attorney-General Black and his late private
secretary, Adam I. Glossbrenner.
A Spanish bark, in ballast, had been captured off
Charleston.

A vessel named the Augusta had been seized
near New York on suspicion of being intended for
the slave trade.

Preparations were being made for a regular ex-
change of prisoners.
The Confederates had assembled in considerable
force at Great Bethel, and an attack upon Newport
News was somewhat probable. Fifty waggons and
500 oxen, which were on their way to Sedalia, had
been captured by the Confederates, near Pleasant-
hill, Cass county, Mobile. The armies of General
Price and Ben M'Culloch had retreated into Arkan-
sas. From General Rosecrans' head-quarters we
learn that on the 10th the Confederates in Western
Virginia were driven back from their positions by
Generals Cox and Benham's brigades. An expedi-
tion under General Butler, destined for some
Southern port, was fitting out at Boston. General
Dix had issued an address to the people of Acrc-
mac and Northampton counties, Virginia, announ-
cing that the military forces of tho United States
were about to enter those counties as parts of tho
Union. Those who did not recognise the autho-
rity of the Government and were found in arms
against it were warned that they would be visited
with the severest punishments warranted by the
laws of war. Those who remained in the quiet
pursuit of their domestic occupations were guaran-
teed all their constitutional and legal rights. From
St. Louis we learn, under date November 18, that
General Hunter had sent a letter to General Price
by a flag of truce, repudiating tlib treaty between
Generals Fremont and Price entered into on No-
vember 1, and addressed a letter to Adjutant-Gene.
ral Thomas, setting forth his reasons therefor.