The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-06-12

they have been terminated, | take this oc-
casion to express my disapp:ohation of the
placed by our own Govern.
nent OIL the neutrality laws Of the United
States.
Mr. Butler. l think, with tho Senator
from Georgia, it is very unfortunate that
the British Minister has been dismissed now
after this protractcd correspondence. Du-
ring the timo when the Allies and Russia
were engaged in war, it WAS highly proper
for the United States to say "hands off fm
so far rs regards our own people in this
and especially, in my opinion
as we had every reason at that time to con-
ciliale, or ut least not to offend, the Russian
Government. After that occasion has
passed, when the subject has been leng,l,ilv
discussed, and everything is on the ebh, 1
think this course is hardly proper. l do
not say that the British Government has n
right to take exception to it, but / would
much prefer to have had the thing done at
once or not at all. | know no reason why
the two Governments should be involved in
commercial difficulties and retaliation, much
less i'll war. IL the sword is to be drawn
should regard it rs great calamity do
not hesitate to say so. l would avert it, as
far as | could, by my counscls; would
avert it as iar as possibly could, consis-
tcntly with the honor of my own coun-
try.
The British Minister has been dismissed.
and | suppose the developments will afford
what our Government considers justiiica-
ton for it; but | think, considering the
temper which pcrvadcs the correspondence
OF Lord Clarendon Qhough l have not
read the whole of it and the tone Which
now seems to pcrvadc the public mind in
both countries, this will be looked upon rs
an inopportune time for the dissolution of
our diplomatic relations with Great Britain.
am sorry to say that such is my opinion
know the sage counscls of nv FREUD from
Michigan will go very far and his remarks
may make All impression on the public
mind i'll Great Britain where mine, perhaps,
will never even drop. l do not say that
our Government is not justiGcI-I only say
that [ think in has chosen very inoppor-
tune time.
Mr.. Mason. 1 do not mean to continue
this conversation, for it is such, further than
to add I. very few words. understood the
Senator from Georgia to say that, in his
Judgment, the laws of the United States
had not been violated by the acts of the
British Minister i'll the enlistment matter.
Mr.. Toolnbs. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Mason. Ii his judgement be right,
Of course, there WAS not only no ground
for dismissing the Minister, but no ground
whatever for complaint. 1t is. then, ques-
ton of fact which will 60 to the country,
and the country will decide whether the
Senator from Georgia has taken a correct
view of the facts us shown by the evidence,
or whether the correct view has been taken
by the Administration. But suppose the
Senator from Georgia will admit that if the
fact be otherwise, and if the British, Minis
tcr,by his conduct here, did violate the laws
of this country, the action Of our Govern
lnent upon it, whether delayed too long or
not, was rightful.
| have now word to say in reference to
what has fallen from the Senator from
South Carolina, who, know, looks as close
ly as any other Senator to the honor Of the
He says he thinks the conduct
OF the Government may be justified Sir,
If the Government has done right it's con
duct is to be sustained and applauded.-
This is the view which / take Of it. The
Senator from South Carolina says the time
had gone by, the war was over. the occasion
for these cnlistmcnts had ended, the public
mind had assumed q more conclliatory tone.
and that because of the delays, it should
have been looked OH rather us :. by gone
affair. Sir, let the Senator remember that
the demand for the recall Of the Minister
yDon In <I< Il, lat,
ton on the 2Sth Of December last, which
reached the British Government in about
ten or twelve days at the furthest, and the
reply was dated on the 3O,h day Of April.
About four months elapsed between the
date of the demand and the date of the re-
ply. During that period of four months
the war WAS ended. We were not Informed
Of the result Of this demand until four
months had thus elapsed. The British
Government during that time sent TO MIR.
Champion to get his explanation and was
engaged in negotiating tile peace. All this
was satisfactorily explained us cause for de-
lay. Our Government is certainly not re-
sponsible for that delay in any form.
Then it results, rs undcrstanL-sucl at
least is my impression of the posture of the
corrcspondcncc-tllat the British Govern
ment declared they gave no instructions
which could be construed into purpose on
their part to violate our laws or show disre-
spcct to our sovereignty. They cndeavor
to show that, SO far as the British Govern
ment are concerned, it has not been done.
They regret that we should have entertained
such an opinoin. They disclai,n it. 1t is
very well done on the part of the British
perfectly acceptable to our
Government, and is so declared most ex-
plicitly. As to the acts of the British Min
ister here, the British Government do no
more than say that the Minister discIaimed
such purpose to them. Our Government
are satisfied that, although the Minister did
disclaim it, and doubtless disclailned it as
n fair and honorable man-I do not mean
to question tbat-the facts remain proven
to this Government showing that he did
violate our laws. In my judgment, there.
fore, if this Government had failed to dis.
miss the British Minister, the British Gov
ernment failing to recall him. they would
have been derelict in their duty.