The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-12-26

ing wantonly violated the relations Of amity
which the two countries profess desire to pre-
serve and cultivate.
The pretence that we ought to have taken the
| Trent into port and had her condemned by a
prize court, in order to justify seizure oftour
of her passengers, furnishes q very narrow ba-
sis OH which to Tx a serious controversy between
| two great nations. Stated in other words an
offence would have been less had it been great
er. The wrong done to The British flag would
have been mtigated if, instead of Selling the
four rebels, We had seizad the ship, detained all
her passengers for weeks and contiscated her
cargo | am not surprised that Capt Wilkes
took different new of his duty, aud of what
was due to the friendly relations which subsist-
| ed between the two Governments. The renown-
ed common sense of the English people, | be-
ieye. will approve of his effort To make the dis
charge of a very unpleasant duty as little vex-
atious as possible to ali lnnocentiparties.
Ilunder these circumstances, England should
deem it her duty in the interest OF civilization,
to insist upon the restoration Of those men ia.
ken from under the protection of her flag it will
be from q conviction, without doubt, that the
law of nations in regard to the rights of neu-
trails, which she has taken the leading part in
es bishing requires revision, and with a suit
able disposition on her part to establish those
rights upon just, humane and philosophical
basis Indeed, am happy to see an intmaton
in one of the leading metropolitan journals,
which goes far to Justify this inference. Refer
ring to the decision of the English Admiralty
Courts, now quoted in defence OF the seizure of
the American rebels on board OF the Trent, The
| London Times of Nov. 2Sth says
g so far as the authorities go, the testimony
of international lawwrlters are all one way that
beliigerent war cruiser has the right to stop
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 not exist, and mail
vessels carrying letters wherein all the nations
have immediate interest, We're unknown. We
were fighting for existence, and We did in those
| days what we should neither do nor allow 9TH
ers to do, nor expect ourselves 10 be allowed to
| do"
| Ii England, as we are here encouraged to
hope is disposed to do her part in stripping
war Of half its horrors by accepting the policy
| long and persstently urged upon her by our
Government, and commended by every princi-
ME of Juice and humanity, she will find no
ground in the visit OF the Trent, for controversy
with our Government. l am sure the President
and the people OF the Urted States would be
but too happy to let these men go free, unnatu-
raj and objectionable as their otfeLses have been
II ~ ~ my SAHoHClpdIe INV 00Aii'SANS VI
the world. Greatly as it would be to our dis
advantage at the present crisis to surrender any
of those maritime privileges of belligcrents
which are sanctioned by the law of nations,
feel that take no responsibility in saying that
the United States will be faithful to heI tradi:
tional policy upon this subject, and to the spirit
of her political institutions.
On the other hand, should England be unpre-
pared TO make corresponding sacrifce-shOuld
she feel that she could not yet afford to surren
der the advantages which the present maritime
code gives to dominant naval powers OF course
she will not put herself in a false position by
asking us to do IT, In any case, therefore, do
not see how the friendly relations of the two
Governments are in immediate danger otb eing
disturbed.
That the over-prompt recognition as belliger-
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 i'll the breasts
of many the suspicion that their kindred in Eng
land wish them evil rather than good but the
statesmen to whom the political interests OF
these two great people are confded, act up on
higher responsibilities and with better lights,
and you may rest assured that an event so mu-
tually dsas trous as a war between England
and America cannot occur without some other
and graver provoca ton than has yet been given
by either nation. WINFIELD SCOTT.
HOTEL WESTMINSTER PARIS Dec 9 g 81,