The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-30
Official Correspondence on the Mason and
Slidell Affair

Suu6ll Affair.
New York, Dec. o. The official corresnon.
donce between our Government and Great Bri.
tain, relative to the seizure of the Confederate
commissioners, Slidell and Mason, is received.
MR.. SEWARD To Mr.. ADAMS.
The first is a letter from Secretary Seward to
Minister Adams, dated Nov. 80, in which he
compliments the latter for SO wisely speaking
and acting at the Lord Mayor dinner. and also
states that he told Lord Palmerston the simY]a
fact when informing him that the life of the in
surrection is sustained by the hopes of recoo-
milton of the Southern Confederacy by England
and France, and if those hopes ceased, the in.
surrcction would perish in ninety days.
lie refers in the same note to the fact of the
arrest Of Slidell and Mason by Capt. Wilkes as
a new and unforeseen circumstance, which is to
be met by the two governments, if possible, in
a kindly spirit. Lord Lyons had said nothing
on the subject, and no explanations were fur
nishcd Minister Adams, it being deemed pru
dent that the ground taken by the British Gov
ernment should be first made known here. and
discussion to be had here.
But Mr.. Seward deemed it proper to state
that Capt. Wilkes acted without instructions
and the subject, therefore, is free from the EN-.
barrassments that might have ensued if the act
had been specially directed. He trusts that the
British Government will consider the subject in
friendly temper, and it may expect the best
disposition on our part.
EARL RUSSELL TO LORD LYONS
The next letter is from Earl Russell to Lord
Lyons, dated Nov. 80, which details the Trent
affair. He says :-"It thus appears that GER
tain individuals have been forcibl " taken from
British vessel, the ship of a neutral power on
lawful and innocent voyage. an act of violence
which was an affront to the British flag and a
violation of national law.
Her Maiesty's Government are wi to
believe the act was without authority and re-
suited from misunderstanding, as the Govern
ment OF the United States must be fully aware
that the British Government will not allow such
M alfront to its national honor to pass without
due repara'ion, and the British Government are
unwilling to believe that the United States de-
liberately intended unnecessarily to force a dis
eussion of SO grave a question between the two
Governments.
Her Majesty Government trust that the Gov
eminent of the United States will of it's own
accord, offer such redress as alone could satisfy
them, namely, the liberation of the four persons
and their delivery to Lord Lyons, that they may
again be placed under British protection, and a
suitable apology for the aggression committed.
Should these terms not be offered by Mr. Sew
ard, you will propose them to him.
Mr.. SEWARD TO LORD LYONS.
Mr.. Seward replies to Lord Lyons, by whom
he was furnished a copy of Earl RUSSELL letter
The President. MI Seward states that the Brit
ish Government rightly conjectured what it was
now his duty to state that Capt. Wilkes acted
upon his own suggestions of duty without any
direction or instruction, or even foreknowledge
OF it on the part of this government
No directions had been given him or any other
naval officer to arrest tho four persons or any Of
them on tire Trent or any other British vessel,
or any neutral vessel there or elsewhere. After
discussing the whole question at great length in
all it's bearings, Mr.. Seward said s. trust |
have shown to the satisfaction of the British
Government by very simple and natural state
ment Of facts and analysis of law applicable to
them, that this Government has neither medita
ted nor rracticed or approved any deliberate
wrong in the transaction to which they have
called its attention. and, on the contrary, what
has happened has been simply an inadvcrtency
consisting in a departure by the naval officer,
free from any wrongful motive. from a rule un-
certainly established, and probably, by the sev-
cral parties concerned, mperfectly understood
or entirely unknown. For this error the British
Governmen, has right to expect the same rep
araion that we as an independent State should
expect from Great Britain or from any friendly
nation in similar case. -
have not been unaware that III examining,
this question have fallen into an argument for
what seems to be the British side of it against
my own country, but am relieved from all en-
Aarlassment on that subject. l had hardly
fallen INTO that line Ct argument when found
| was really defending and maintaining not an
exclusively British interest, but an old, honored
and cherished American cause, not upon British
authorities but upon principles that constitute
a large portion of the distinctive policy by which
the United States have developed the resources
Of a continent, and thus becoming consdera-
bic maratimc power have won the respect and
confidence of many nations.
These principles were laid down for us by
Mr.. Madison in 1904, when Secretary of State
under Jefferson, in instructions to James Mon
roe, our then Minister to England"
MIR. Seward says, after quoting these instruc-
tlons, 6 If decide this case in favor OF my own
government, must disallow its most cherished
principles, and reverse and forever abandon its
essential policy. The country cannot afford the
sacrifice. If maintain these principles and al
here to that policy, Unjust surrender the case it.
self 1t will be seen, therefore, that this govern
ment could not deny the justice of tho claim pre-
sented. We are asked to do to the British ma
tion Just what we have always insisted all ma
tons ought to do to US. In coming to my con.
ciuson. have not forgotten that If the safety OF
this Union required the detention OF the cap
tured prisoners, it would DO the right and duty
Of this government to dctain them. ,~a.
al Il ob.aG wun