New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-30

tFo- ~
Russell that they were have no doubt Fan M M
sell will be able TO aatisfy Mr. Seward that sasv
were not. If they were, as'a s'alautboritIesn eoneas
in admitting, agents of the rebellion is WIFI DE dit
icult to satisfy impartial minds that they we're any
less cantraband than file of rebel soldiers a
battery Of hostile cannon. 53@7' w. a + 's ... '
Bnt even should there be adfiefence Of opinion
upon this point, it 3svery clear that our Govern
nent had sufficient grounds for presnming itself in
the right to escape the suspicion ofhaying wantonly
violated the relations of amity which the two coun-
tries profess desire to preserve and cultivate.
The prctence that we ought to have taken the
Trent into port, and had her condemned by prize
court in order to justify seznre OF four OF her
passengers, furnishes very narrow basis on which
to fix a serious controversy betweenstw two great
nations. Stated in other words, an offence would
done TO the British flag would have been mitigated
it. instead Of sezing four rebels, we had seized the
ship. detained all her passengers for weeks, and
contiscated her cargo. not surprised that
Capt. Wilkes took different view Of his duty, and
of what was due to the friendly relations which
subslsted between the two governments. The re-
no~ned common sense of the English people, /
believe will approve Of his effort to make the dis
charge OF very unpleasant duty as little veXatious
as possible to all innocent parties.
If, under these circumstances England should
deem it her duty, in the interest Of civilization, to
insist upon the restoration of the men taken from
under the protection of her flag, it will be from
conviction without doubt, that the law of nations
in regard to the rights of ncutrals, which she has
taken leading part in esta ablishing requires
vision, and with a suitable disposition on her part
to establish these rights upon just humane and
philosopic basis Indeed, I am happy to see an
lntnatioH in one OF theeading metro politan jour
nais which goes far to justify this inference. Re-
ferring to the decision of the English Admiralty
Courts now quoted in defense of the seizure of the
American rebels on board the Trent, the Londen
Times of the 2Sth of November says:
So far as the authorities go, the testimony of
International law writers is all one way that
Iutti
visit and search any merchant ship upon the high
seas. = But it must be remembered that
these decisions were given under circumstances
very different from those which now occur.
Steamers in those days did notsexist, and mail
vessels carrying letters wherein all the nations of
the world have immediate interest. were unknown.
We were fighting for existence, and we did in
those days what we should neither do nor allow
others to do, nor expect ourselves to be allowed
to do in these days. su- go, .- ,-
If England, are here encouraged to hone,
is dsposhd to do her part in stripping war of half
its horrors by accepting the policy long and per-
slstcntiy urgedsupon her by our Government, and
commended by every principle of justice and
humanity, she will find no ground, in the visit of
the Trent, for controversy, with our Government.
| am sure the President and people of the United
States would be but too happy to let these go
Free unnatural and objectionable as their offences
have been, if by it they could emancipate the
commerce Of the world. Greatly as it would he to
our disadvantage at this present crisis to surrender
which are sanctioned by the laws of nations, feel
that take no responsibility in saying that the
United States will be faithful to her traditional
policy upon this subject, and to the spirit of her
political Institutions. ~. .,..'
On the other hand, should England be unpre-
pared to make corresponding sacrifice; should
she feel that she could not yet afford to surrender
the advantages which the present maritime code
gives to dominant naval power, of course she
will not put herself in false position by asking us
to do It, In either case, therefore, do not see
how the friendly relations of the two Governments
are in any immediate danger of being disturbed.
That the over-prompt recognition, as belger-
ents, OF body of men, however large, SO long as
they constituted manifest minority of the nation,
wounded the feelings of my countrymen deeply,
will not affect to deny, nor that that act, with
some of its logical consequences which have
already occurred has planted in the breasts of
many the suspicion that their kindred in England
wish them evil rather than good bu. the states
men to whom the political interests of these two
great people are confded. act upon higher respon-
sibilities and with better lights, and you may rest
assured that an event so mutually disastrous as q
war between England and America cannot occur
without some other and graver provocaton than
has yet been given by either nation.
WINFIELD SCOTT.