The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-12-28
Return OF Gen. scott.

The sudden return of Gen. SCTTT from
France in the Ara-o-the same vessel in
which he made the outward trip-has
taken the Whole country by surprise -
Among the many specuiatIons to which
it has given rise, we have seen none mere
sensible or probable than those OF the st
Louis Republican, from which we copy
ti... following
1t was no part of Gen ScoT1 5 purpose
TO return 20 line United States unit. III,
health should be reinstated or at least
much improved. But he has done 30 and
that he has been government by patriotic
Impulses in making the II ~ i unaueS-
tionable His excellent lettcg-thr b.st
letter lie ever wrote-to John BiCelow
produced a line effect in England and
France, and place the whole case in 30 far
"a light as 10 have nonpui>ed the British
writers ard statesman. Meetin. the only
ground assumed 10y the Times and other
Journals for instant and offensive demands
OF reparation from the United State--
that the Iient ought to have been taken
into an American port and condemned 10y
:. prize court, in order to Justify our seizure
OF he.. four prisoners-hc diSposes of this
argument IN single line, 10y saying that
g.u- offence .ro,,id haze Jeen hss II Il hat tSen
qreatr..' But 10 give fall force to the pas
saye, we lie produce it
The pretence that we ought TO have
taken the Trent into port. and had her
condemned by = prize court, III order to
justify our seizure o! four OF her passengers
furnishes Il very narrow basis on which to
fix :: serious controversy between two great
would have been less if il had been greater
The wrong done to the British Hag would
have been mitigated if, instead of Selling
the four rebels, we had seized the snip,
detained all her passengers for weeks, and
confScated her cargo. am not surprised
that Captain Wilkes took Il different view
Of his duty. and Of what was due to the
friendly relations which subsisted between
the two governments. The renowned
common sense OF the English people,
believe, will approve of his effort to make
the discharge of a very unpleasant duty as
little vexatious rs possible to all innocent
parties.
This presents the whole question in a
nut shell, and it is not surprising that the
people and the press Of England We're
brought to stand still IN their clamor and
Indignation by 1t.
General Scott, the same advices tell us,
had long interview with the Emperor
Napoleon in Paris, ard may it not be that
that interview had someth ing to do with
the return of General Scott to the United
States? This is the most satisfactory solu-
ton .f what is otherwise great mystery.
Napoleon desires to be on friendly terms
with this country. He has already offer
ed his meditation to settle the pending
trouble with the rebel States. but was at
the time repuised by Mr.. Seward Napo-
leon has no love for England, and, mas
much as he has declared his intention to
take a neutral position between England
and the United States, may it not be. that
he has renewed his offer as mediator, in
the hope OF settling the matter in dispute
with that power and also with the rebel
lious States? As the former question must
necessarily he the subject of negotiation.
and cannot be disposed of hastily, it must
he that General Scott has been prevailed
on to return TO Washington, and lay before
the Administration the views Of the En-
peror Napoleon, by which the grave trou-
bies of the country may be settled and
peace restored to our Union. Nothing
short of such a mission would constitute a
sufficient reason for the retur.. Of the war
worn veteran to the United States
EUROPE The leading event by the Eu-
ropean steamers for the past week is the
death Of Prince Albert. husband Of the
Queen of England lie died suddenly on
the 18th, of gastric fever. The English
press continued absorbed with the Trent
affair, and talked nothing but war with
America The French papers urge neu-
traity on the part of that Government,
and such, doubtless, would be Napoleon's
position Warlike preparations continued
in England, and large ornaments were
preparing to be sent to Canada.